The Mistress of the Abyss
by moodyblues53
Summary: Tasked with a mission by the sea goddess Calypso, Mad-Eye Moody & Tonks must join forces with the Brethren Court against the terrors of the sea. DISCLAIMER: Most recognizable characters are the property of J.K. Rowling or the Walt Disney Corp. FINISHED!
1. Chapter 1

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter One – _Summoned in the Night_

Anyone disrespectful enough to observe Nymphadora Tonks as she slept would have been struck by her restlessness. She was lying on the bed of her old room in her parents' house, covered by only a sheet despite the cool autumn night.

She changed position frequently, fidgeting in an unconscious struggle to find comfort. Her head writhed back and forth on her pillow and soft murmurs and moans periodically escaped her lips.

In her mind, Tonks was somewhere far from the little cottage where she had been raised and had elected to spend her break. For the life of her, she could not have named her location. Surrounded on all sides by swirling grey mists, she felt pulled inexorably in one direction.

As she prowled forward, she noted she was dressed in her normal street clothing, not the nightdress she had gone to bed in, but carried no wand. This couldn't be real, she thought. Her wand was on the night stand next to her bed and she'd never leave the house without it.

Tonks became aware of another figure trudging forward through the fog. She was surprised to see the darkened blur slowly focus into the form of Mad-Eye Moody, her mentor. She addressed the figure. "Moody, is that you?"

"Tonks" the familiar voice returned. "Are you here too?"

"Yes, it's me" she replied. "Where are we?"

"I don't know, Dora" he rumbled. "This is beyond my experience. We'd best see where this leads us."

The pair fell in side by side and continued their walk to an unknown destination.

Now, the mists grew lighter and Tonks began to make out their surroundings. She felt springy wood beneath her feet; she heard the rhythmic wash of waves against various obstacles; she smelled salt and an older, mustier, organic smell; and she saw a small light emanating from a large dark object in front of them.

As the Aurors walked forward, Tonks saw that they trod on a hand-built wooden wharf that extended into the waters of a dark, foreboding swampland. Gnarled trees with dripping moss surrounded them, vines dangled like slumbering snakes from the branches, and the whole area gave off an odor of quiet, wet decay.

Now, Tonks could see that the large object was a ramshackle hut sitting at the water's edge. The simple, one-story structure had an ageless, weathered appearance. The pair of small windows gave back the reflection of the small bonfire burning away on the porch.

The reflections made these windows look like eyes, causing Tonks further disquiet about their situation. But, her full attention turned to the porch when she noted the fantastic figure seated in a rocking chair behind the fire, watching her and Moody approach.

The figure appeared to be a young, dark-skinned woman perhaps a few years Tonks' senior. She had the appearance of some wild voodoo priestess. She wore a full-length, off-the-shoulder calico dress with a knitted shawl. Her neck was hung with several ornate necklaces that rested on an ample amount of exposed bosom. All her fingers sported rings.

Her dark hair was made up in dreadlocks ornamented with beads. These framed an attractive brown face with dark tattoos and a wide smile. But, her eyes were night-black and unfathomable; reflecting the night sky in their depth.

They stopped in front of the fire and looked across the flickering flames at the priestess. She studied them in an amused fashion for a moment, and then spoke in a quiet, lilting purr of a voice, heavily tinged with an accent that spoke of Jamaica or some other exotic locale.

"So, you haf come, my children; Good, I haf need of your service."

Tonks was stunned; how could anyone this woman's age address Moody as her child? Were they in some mad nightmare?

Moody seemed to take the situation in stride and began probing for information. "You seem to know us" he rumbled. "Do we know you?"

His calm seemed to please the woman because her smile widened. "All civilizations haf known us: To some, we waz de Storm Giants; to utters, we waz de Titans, but, watever de names, we haf always been de same: de Elemental Powers of Nature - Eart, Wind, Fire, and Water."

Tonks gaped in open-mouthed astonishment at this claim. This must be a madwoman. She gasped "Who are you?"

"I haf been known by many names: among dem waz Calypso, Poseidon, and Neptune. And I haf hat many faces; dis one has painfahl memories for me, but I find eet de most usefahl for speakin' wit mortals."

"Calypso" Moody rumble, thinking hard; "You are an immortal being?"

"Even so; dat's how I brought your spirits here; to converse wit me while your bodies sleep safe." Calypso leaned back and studied them, still smiling her cat-and-mouse smile.

Tonks thought the insanity she'd observed before had taken a turn for the worse and decided to cut to the core of this nightmare. "What do you require of us?" she asked.

Calypso shook her head patiently. "I tol' you: your service; Dere ees a great task needin' to be done."

Moody maintained an appearance of placid analysis. "What is this task?"

"To restore de balance; an eartly woman has uzurped de powers of de sea and t'retens de world. Tru her ignorant greed for power, her may bring dizaster upon all de peoples and her must be stopt." For the first time, the goddess (goddess?) appeared agitated, even fearful.

Tonks gasped in astonishment. Was there no logic to this dream at all? "Why do you need us? Why not take care of it yourself?"

Calypso seemed to regain her self-control and calmly recited in a story-teller's tone: "Long years ago, we Powers agreed not to interfere directly een mortal issues. By takin' a direct hand een de past, we cauzed great disasters: Atlantis, Pompeii, Krakatoa . . . So, by de pact we made, we may only act tru mortal agents."

Moody seemed unfazed. "There are billions of people in the world, full of diverse levels of talent" he growled. "Why have you chosen us as your agents?"

"Because you haf power, courage, and you haf walked de streets of Old Tortuga dat waz. Dis weel 'elp you relate wit de aid you weel need."

Tonks, resigning herself to the absurdity of the dream, asked "Why do we need aid? With you as our patron, surely that will be enough?"

Calypso shook her head, her dreadlocks swaying. "No, child. Her has safeguarded her fortress 'gainst magic. You can only approach by de sea." She leaned forward and gazed at the Aurors intently. "You must haf sailors: brave, skilled, and willin' to face great power."

Mad-Eye looked at her calmly. "How do we find this aid?"

In answer, the crazy female leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Her mouth fell open and she spoke in a sing-song chant that invoked shudders through her entire form:

_De ancient terrors are loose once more,_

_By mortal mind lackin' wisdom and care;_

_To fight dem, go to de unclaimed shore,_

_And surrender de antique token dere._

_For help, from de depts of de past, may be yours,_

_Wit the courage to battle dis monstrous wrong;_

_Call fort your allies and strike an accord;_

_Summon dem hence wit unity's song._

She leaned forward and slowly extended her clenched right hand to Moody, who held out his empty hand, palm up. Tonks saw her drop something into his hand and then, the mists swirled and thickened, blotting out Moody, the woman, the hut, and the fire.

Tonks shot bolt-upright in her own bed, gasping for air. She looked about in a panic. There was no sign of Moody, the hut, or the mysterious Calypso woman. She was in her own room.

She lay back on her pillow, feeling her body slowly relax, shedding some of its tension in rhythm with her breathing. A dream, she thought, only a dream. It had seemed so real, more vivid than any she could remember.

She tried to put the experience out of her mind, but remained filled with a vague sense of uneasiness. Suddenly, her room erupted in a burst of silver light.

Sitting erect, she grabbed her wand off her night stand, ready to defend herself. But, the light gathered itself at the foot of her bed, coalescing into the silver form of a male lion. This apparition looked at her and opened its jaws. The familiar, snarling voice of her mentor issued from its mouth.

"Tonks, meet me on your front porch in 5 minutes. We need to talk." With this message delivered, the spirit beast faded away.

Acting instinctively, Tonks vaulted out of bed, hastily wrapping herself in her housecoat. She crept quietly down the hall, expecting any moment to hear the sleepy voice of one of her parents demanding an explanation of this late night wandering. Thankfully, the house remained silent as she reached the front door and stepped outside.

The autumn air was chill and crisp; the great orb of the full moon painted exaggerated shadows across the yard as she saw the dark form of Mad-Eye Moody suddenly appear at the end of the path that led to the house.

She waited on the steps as he stumped up the path and stopped before her. Without any preamble, he barked "Have you been dreaming tonight, Dora?"

At her nod, he growled "I woke up a few minutes ago . . . with this in my hand."

He extended his palm for her inspection. Seated there was an ancient-looking silver coin. Tonks gasped and felt a chill that had nothing to do with the night air.

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Two – _Burt and Sully_

The rambling country estate, dominated by a venerable manor house with a broad lane, was the most elaborate property Tonks had ever seen. She stepped back from the point where she and Moody had apparated in and took in the entire vista with amazement.

Moody allowed her a moment to take it all in, and then began trekking up the tree-lined avenue toward the mansion. Tonks hurried to catch up.

"So, you don't think we've gone loopy, Mad-Eye" she smirked.

"Silver coins don't appear out of nowhere, by themselves" he growled. "I've scanned the Muggle papers and there've been some disturbances in the North Sea that may tie in with that . . . Well, let's call it 'a shared vision' until we know more." He grumbled under his breath but kept walking.

Closer inspection as they drew nearer allowed Tonks a better evaluation of this new locale. The building consisted of a huge, two-story main house flanked by twin towers. From each tower, a single-story projected rearward at an angle. Tonks assumed these were additions, possible a few hundred years newer than the center.

All was dark, grey brickwork covered with ivy. Tall chimneys rose from a steep, slate roof and, here and there, the ivy-draped walls were dotted with windows and carved coats-of-arms.

Tonks gave up on estimating the worth of this ancient palace and followed Moody onto the porch, where he rapped sharply on the main door with his staff. After a brief wait, the door creaked open and a tall, gaunt butler in full livery filled the opening.

"Yes" he inquired politely.

"Alastor Moody, to see His Lordship, Benson" Moody told the butler with casual familiarity.

"Certainly; you are expected" the servant spoke matter-of-factly. "Please come in."

"The guests have arrived, Your Grace" the butler intoned solemnly as he ushered the Aurors into a polished, wooden foyer where two men stood waiting before a pair of giant double doors.

One was a short, squat bulldog of a man, dressed in a gray tweed suit and sporting a reddish-brown cane with a bulbous brass head. His features were difficult to distinguish as his head was adorned with a mane of curly, orange hair balanced by a well-trimmed, full beard of the same hue. What skin that could be seen was pale, including a prominent nose decorated with a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The eyes behind them, under shaggy orange brows, were as black and shiny as onyx and crackled with energy. His whole attitude was one of pugnaciousness and restless, vibrant energy.

His counterpart was a tall, lanky chap in a gray three-piece suit with a blue cravat. His slicked-back, black hair was flecked with silver; his brown eyes squinted behind gold pince-nez attached to his jacket with a black ribbon and over top of a sharp, straight nose.

His black moustache might have been drawn on his lip with pencil. His manner bespoke equal parts of inquisitiveness and befuddlement. If his companion resembled a bulldog, this man was a strange, wading bird searching for its nesting ground.

The orange bulldog surveyed the newcomers, as though hunting an opponent, and then strode toward Moody.

"Moody!! You ugly, old devil; how long has it been?" he barked in an aggressive rasp of a voice. He seized Moody's extended hand and shook it as though he intended to wring every last drop of juice out of it.

"Too long, Burt; you useless pain-in-the-arse" Moody bellowed in response, whereupon both men roared with laughter.

The bulldog stepped back and scanned Moody head-to-foot as though examining a specimen. "I see you're still not smart enough to duck!" he bayed; pointing at Moody's heavily scarred face.

Moody rumbled down at the smaller man: "I see you're still not tall enough to need to!" Both men took the occasion to bellow laughter again.

Clapping the shorter man heartily on the shoulder, Moody turned to his astonished protégé. "Tonks, allow me to present one of my oldest, dearest friends; His Grace, the Earl of Bindon and Baron Chesterford, Lord Edward Burton. Burt, this is my apprentice, Nymphadora Tonks."

"Apprentice, ehh?" the little noble crowed. "And here I'd assumed you'd adopted some pretty young creature to nurse you through your onset of senility." He strode over to take Tonks' hand and pat it affectionately.

"You're very welcome here, my girl. Anyone who can tolerate the company of this uncouth barbarian for any length of time has my undying respect." He grinned at the young Auror.

"Err . . . um . . . Thank you . . . um . . . Your Lordship" Tonks finally managed to stammer.

"Now, now; Burt, please" he chided her, gently. "I find a title incompatible with effective communications and research. So, please; dispense with the protocol." He laughed again. "Not that Moody ever needed much encouragement in that direction; I don't believe he's ever addressed me personally by my title since we first met on the Hogwarts Express."

"Well . . . Burt; I must say that you're not what I expected a nobleman to be like" Tonks confessed.

"Ah, my dear" he purred, "You must forgive an old man his foibles." He grinned wickedly. "You see, being an English noble is my _profession_: because society requires each of us to contribute productively. Now, historical and zoological study is my _passion_: something I do because my intellect, spirit and nature compel me to."

Now, the little bulldog broke into an attractive smile that lit up his entire countenance. "However, being an insufferable curmudgeon is my _hobby_: something I do for _pure personal enjoyment_" and he once more bellowed a hearty laugh.

Lord Burton led Tonks over to his compatriot. "Nymphadora, meet Dr. Walter Sullivan, my research partner." The Baron grinned again. "Poor fellow's a squib; never got a sniff of Hogwarts; had to settle for earning a doctorate in history at some damn Muggle university," he barked another laugh, "A thing damn near as useless as a title."

With very proper decorum, bordering on pompousness, Sullivan ignored Lord Burton and shook hands with the Aurors. "A genuine pleasure, my dear" he said to Tonks; "Alastor, it's good to see you again" he said to Moody in a rather quavering, nasal whine.

Mad-Eye smiled at the historian. "I'm surprised, Sully. I thought Burt would have tossed you out ages ago."

Sullivan smiled as though at some private joke. "Lord Burton and I have developed a complicated academic dynamic over the years, Alastor. I don't know how he'd get along without me."

"What Sullivan means is that shooting down his illogical wanderings generally points me on the proper course" Burt snapped as he led his guests through the great double doors. "Come into the study and you can tell me why you're here."

"Well, obviously, Edward" Sullivan piped up condescendingly, "they are in need of some academic researches that only we can provide."

The short nobleman wheeled on his companion. "If you ever author your autobiography, Sullivan, you could title it _"Oblivious to the Obvious"_ he snarled.

The two men began a heated exchange that appeared to embrace old arguments as they walked into the next room. Tonks fell back by her mentor.

"Something on your mind, Dora" Moody inquired politely.

She giggled "Mad-Eye, I never thought that I would qualify as your most normal acquaintance." Moody's laughter echoed the absurdity of it all.

Tonks and Moody followed their hosts into the study, where Tonks goggled like some country rube seeing skyscrapers for the first time. The room was amazing; built on a scale to rival the Great Hall at Hogwarts, it was all polished wood, from floor to vaulted ceiling; a white stone fireplace not less than 16 feet tall dominated one corner; there were a dozen towering windows, and shelves and shelves of books; possibly more books than the Hogwarts library held.

Before the fireplace were a massive mahogany desk and a set of four chairs surrounding a coffee table. Burt led them to the latter and took a seat. "Please, sit down and tell us why you're here."

They listened in silence, ever more agonizing silence, while Moody laid out the details of the dream encounter with Calypso. Tonks squirmed uncomfortably as the piercing stares and rigid postures of the two academics stayed fix and set. "Oh, God" she thought, "They think we're mad! They're going to toss us out of here."

Moody completed his report and sat back, awaiting their judgment. Burt looked at the floor, rubbing his bearded chin, while Sully leaned back, slapping his hands on his knees with a huge sigh of "Well . . .!"

Burt turned his gaze on his colleague. "I take it, Doctor that you've come to some conclusion" the aristocrat rumbled quietly.

"All I can say, Lord Burton" the historian grumbled mildly, "is that this is the most severe case of empathetic hallucination I've ever heard of."

Tonks felt her temper rouse. She prepared to leap to her feet in protest when she noticed that Lord Burton seemed to swell and bristle with indignation. His eyes flashing dangerously, the little peer suddenly let loose a loud roar.

"And, in 40 years of scholastic investigation, Dr. Sullivan, that statement constitutes the most outrageous collection of bilge water, balderdash, and balls _I've_ ever heard!!!"

"If I may say so, Edward; you're prone to flights of fantasy from time to time . . ."

"And you, sir, are a lunatic . . ."

Sullivan rounded on his partner, all indignation and defensive pride. "Lord Burton, I have a passing interest in mythology, but to attempt to give credence to this outlandish tale of supernatural creatures and dream communication, with no proof . . ."

"No proof!! Imbecile! What do you call that?" Burt bellowed, stabbing his finger viciously at the silver coin lying on the coffee table between the four conferees.

Sully seemed momentarily speechless, and then rallied again. "Alastor could have come by that coin in any number of ways. He's widely traveled, of course . . . to many exotic locations; some of which . . ."

"Sully" Mad-Eye rumbled, gaining instant attention. "Would you at least look at the coin and give us an opinion on that?"

"Oh . . . well, certainly . . . if you wish" the doctor stammered. He suddenly seemed to realize he'd been impugning the word of a very powerful and dangerous wizard who also happened to be sitting right next to him.

To cover his nervousness, Sullivan picked up the coin and looked at it. After his first glance, suddenly, he seemed to focus on it. Sitting up straight, he adjusted his pince-nez, took the coin in both hands, and began turning it over and over. All the while, he was muttering under his breath. Finally, he sat back, trying to look at the Aurors and the coin simultaneously.

Burt drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair and scanned the ceiling, searching for a fleeting bit of patience, perhaps. Suddenly, he brought the flat of his hand down explosively on the chair's arm and barked: "Well . . .!"

This startled Sully out of his mental haze. He jumped, looked at all his companions in confusion, and then grinned quickly as he came back to himself.

"This is a remarkable specimen" Dr. Sullivan intoned with just a touch of lust. "It's a Spanish dollar, also known as a piece of eight, a _real de a ocho_ or the eight-real coin. It was minted in the Spanish Empire sometime after the Spanish currency reform in 1497."

Warming to his subject, Sully began turning the coin over, pointing at features as he lectured. "As you can see, this side displays two hemispheres of a world map, crowned between the Pillars of Hercules. It also carries the motto 'VTRAQVE VNUM M 1739': meaning 'Both (are) one, Mexico City Mint, 1739'." He flipped the coin.

"Now, on the converse side" he continued, "we have the arms of Castile and León with Granada in base and an escutcheon of Anjou. The inscription is 'PHILIP V D G HISPAN ET IND REX' which means 'Philip V, by the Grace of God, King of the Spains and the Indies'." He looked up with a satisfied smile. "In short, this is a genuine piece of eight."

Moody took this all in stoically, ruminating out loud. "Pieces of eight . . . she spoke of aid from the past . . . and Tortuga . . . and everything smacks of the sea." He looked at Burt and Sully with a grin. "Boys, what can you tell us about pirates?"


	2. Chapter 2

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Three – _Pirate Lore_

Tonks considered Burt and Sully's research techniques one of the most bizarre collection of antics she'd ever witnessed. The lord was firmly ensconced behind the massive desk, which was covered with books, manuscripts, and scrolls. Intermittently, he'd point his cane at a shelf and '_Accio_' another document to his hand.

The good doctor used the towering ladder, scrambling aloft and sideways like some frantic spider skittering across the bookshelves. He kept up a low-pitched muttering as if he were debating himself rather than the little peer. Of course, they did debate, frequently and vociferously, before breaking back into their individual modes of operation.

There were some long, tedious stretches where both men would be reading to themselves. Moody endured these with the patience of a stone, but Tonks was nearly bored to tears. So, she amused herself by waiting for Sully to turn his back and then morphing her hair and nose, to catch his response when he noticed. The combination of shoulder length green hair with a pig snout had invoked a priceless reaction! The historian had stared at her dumbfounded until Burt's pit-bull roar had called him back to himself.

Lord Burton, however, favored a thick cigar while he read. This soon rendered the atmosphere virtually uninhabitable until Tonks threw open a window out of pure self-defense.

About mid-afternoon, Sullivan threw up his hands and began pacing the room, quite agitated. "Edward, this simply won't do" he bawled in exasperation. "I'll have to go to Eton and find that treatise on Tortuga to provide a solid foundation to anything we may produce."

Moody growled, conversationally "We don't need to know about Tortuga, Sully. We need to decipher what Calypso told us."

"Calypso . . . indeed" the historian snorted through his nose.

"Doctor" Burt rumbled, "Did we not agree to put off debate of the authenticity of Moody's vision for another day and proceed as if the sending were the genuine article." He shook his head at his colleague in frustration.

"Quite correct, Lord Burton" Sullivan replied. "However, I've gathered most of our materials on the era of Caribbean piracy in order to identify a starting point. I'm afraid that particular point eludes me."

"So much eludes you, Sullivan" Burt snarled. "However, I think Moody has just provided us a glimmer of wisdom." Entwining his fingers and placing his elbows on the desk, Burt rested his chin on his folded hands and gazed at his partner.

"Suppose we restart this exercise by parsing the rhyme and analyzing the component phrases. This may stimulate more fruitful lines of inquiry."

Sullivan considered this suggestion, and then shrugged his shoulders in mock surrender. "I suppose it can't be more of a dead end than those we've run into so far. Have you the copy Nymphadora wrote out for us." He spoke without looking at Tonks, possibly afraid of what configuration of nose he'd see this time.

The nobleman pulled a sheet of parchment out from under several books, shook it open and began skimming the writing while humming to himself. After several moments, he laughed sharply.

"Yes, yes . . . quite so" he barked. "See here; she's given you a list of specific directions to gain this 'help from the depths of the past'." He pointed at the poem as he spoke.

"Go to the unclaimed shore; surrender the ancient token; strike an accord; summon them with unity's song. These are the keys to solving this particular puzzle."

"Yes, I can see that" Sullivan agreed, removing his pince-nez and tapping them on his palm, thoughtfully. "Still, why would you be charged with striking an accord? Shouldn't this assistance be a matter of course?"

"_May_ be yours, Doctor; _may_ be yours. These potential allies will have to be persuaded. You must bear _all_ factors in mind when formulating a hypothesis; else I'll be forced to assume that _you_ are the mortal mind lacking wisdom she spoke of." Burton snorted in disgust.

Tonks chimed in to help maintain peace; "What antique token was she referring to?"

"Well" Sully said, deferring his counterattack on the Baron, "it seems self-evident to me that she refers to the silver coin; why else would she present it to you."

"Self-evident, indeed" Burt agreed, "although, apparently _not_ evidence enough to prove the whole encounter actually occurred to my learned colleague."

"So . . . the coin will be part of some ritual . . . to be used in conjunction with . . . 'unity's song' . . . to summon aid from the past?" Tonks looked at each scholar in turn and both were nodding agreement.

"I believe you've struck the crux of the problem, my dear" Burt rumbled kindly. "Does 'unity's song' generate any thoughts, Doctor?"

Sully seemed lost in thought, musing "Unity's song . . . who does it unify . . . what are they united for . . . or against . . . And, who sings? Singing pirates . . . songs about pirates . . . songs and pirates . . ."

Suddenly, Sullivan clapped his hands loudly and raced for the nearest bookshelf. He returned with a large, leather-bound volume which he dumped without ceremony in front of Burt and a small, black book he opened in his hands.

Muttering, he leafed through the small book until he shouted "Ah ha!!"

He looked at his companions in triumph. "I thought so! This is the personal journal of one Jonathan Dalton, a professional gentleman's gentleman in the early 18th century. He seems to have found employment with several noble families during his career. He was even present at Port Royale in the Caribbean during the period we're interested in. Listen to this entry:

_'June 12, 1745: Lord Beckett is quite pleased. The latest group of prisoners of his purge began to sing on their way to the gallows this morning. His Lordship believes this song is the key to finishing the pirates once and for all.'_

"Now, we're getting somewhere" Tonks practically cheered. "Does Dalton mention anything more about pirates?" She looked hopeful.

"I'm afraid not, child" Sully replied sadly. "He apparently left this Lord Beckett's service later that same year and returned to England. However, that large volume in front of His Grace is a history of English nobility from the 18th century. Perhaps we should learn more about Beckett as he was the principle in these matters."

Burton barked "Hah! Now,_ that's_ the Sullivan I've come to know and respect!" So saying, he threw open the giant tome and dove headfirst into his researches.

Burt must have struck a fruitful vein because he stopped turning pages and began tracing his way through the print while maintaining a constant, muttered commentary: "Yes . . . I see . . . quite so . . . dear, dear . . . the bounder . . . oh, dear, dear, dear." Finally, he raised his head and looked at the others.

"Well, this singular little chap seems not to have been the most pleasant of fellows."

With dripping sarcasm, Sullivan commented: "An unpleasant British nobleman? Perish the thought!"

Stepping into the breech, Moody rumbled "Of what house was he a Lord? Perhaps his descendants can give us more information on him."

"He left no descendants. It seems the noble Lord was lost at sea along with his flagship, _The Endeavor_, in August 1745." Warming to his subject, Burt sat back and lit a new cigar, to Tonks' disgust. "Truth in fact, the fellow did not inherit his title through his family, as I did and has generally been the custom since the days of chivalry. It says he was 'raised to the nobility in the winter of '43 – '44 for services rendered to the king."

"Services; what sort of services?" Tonks inquired.

"Bribery, my dear" came the blunt rejoinder. "It was customary in those days for influential commoners to be raised under certain conditions; the men by financial means, the women . . ." He cleared his throat and glanced at Tonks; "The women by . . . certain physical considerations."

Tonks rolled her eyes with impatience. "Before I faint from shock that _sex_ actually existed in the 18th century," she eyed Burt angrily; "what makes you call this Beckett 'unpleasant', Burt; I mean, I don't condone bribery, but that's hardly a major crime."

Burt waved off her comment with his cigar. "Not the bribery, the killings." Seeing three looks of sharp interest, he elaborated. "Cutler Beckett was made Director of the East India Trading Company in the spring of '44. He was charged with bringing order to shipping concerns in the Caribbean and stopping any impingement on His Majesty's financial interests. He took these orders very much to heart."

"What did he do, Burt?" Moody supplied the question Burton wanted.

"He usurped the power of the Governor of Port Royale through some blackmail scheme involving threats against the Governor's daughter. He then used that power to stage a mini-Holocaust in the Caribbean . . . 200 years before anyone had ever heard of the Nazis." Burt looked grim.

Sullivan looked distressed, Tonks raised her hand to her mouth in shock, and Moody growled "The purge Sully mentioned."

"Precisely" Burt barked in return, punctuating every point by thumping his fist on the desk. "All civil liberties were suspended (_thump_), all justice thrown on the rubbish heap (_thump_), and anyone accused, only _accused_ mind you, accused of piracy (_thump_), conspiring with pirates (_thump_), consorting with pirates (_thump_), and possibly, even looking like a pirate (_thump_), took a short walk to the hangman; all courtesy of _Lord_ Cutler Beckett (_THUMP_) ." Burt rumbled his disgust deep in his throat, while Tonks thought of asking for a puff of his cigar to clean the vile taste out of her mouth.

The stony silence was broken by a thoughtful purr from Sully. "So . . . now we know what the pirates were uniting against: genocide."

"And it would have succeeded if Beckett hadn't been lost at sea" Tonks said. "Was it due to a storm, Burt?"

"No, Tonks" the aristocrat shook his head. He looked at the book again. "It says _The Endeavor_ was sunk during the '_Battle of the Maelstrom'_."

Moody growled "What's the _Maelstrom_ . . . another ship?"

Suddenly, Sully shot to his feet with a loud whoop. "Good heavens, Burt! The _Titanic_ . . . the Gibbs manuscript!!"

Burt leaped up, roaring in triumph. "By thunder, Sullivan; you're right!!! I'll go fetch it." The aristocrat scurried off, leaving two perplexed Aurors behind him.

"Doctor, I'm confused" Tonks turned to Sully. "The Titanic sunk 150 years later. What does . . ?"

"I'm sorry, my dear; we should remember that you're not privy to the information we are." Sully adjusted his glasses. "On 1 September 1985, a joint American-French expedition, led by Jean-Louis Michel and Dr. Robert Ballard located the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Since 1987, RMS Titanic Inc. and its predecessors have conducted seven expeditions and salvaged over 5,500 historic objects."

One such object, enclosed in a water-tight case, was a manuscript for a book called 'The Pirates' Guidelines: A Book for Those Who Desire to Keep to the Code and Live a Pirate's Life', authored by one Joshamee Gibbs, who served as a warrant officer with the Royal Navy, but spent much of his adult life as a pirate."

"And you have that manuscript?" Tonks asked hopefully.

"Oh, no" Sully responded, "The original is historically priceless. But, last year at Sotheby's, Edward was able to purchase an exact copy. He's gone to fetch it from the safe."

Just then, Burt came stalking back into the study, cradling some object in his arms. With a sweeping gesture of his cane, he cleared all his materials off the desk and onto the floor, rather unkindly in Tonks' opinion.

But, there was nothing unkind about the way he handled this new treasure. Reverently, almost lovingly, he placed it dead center on the desk and opened it.

Tonks saw typed pages carefully set in a dark green binder with gold inlay. Burt seated himself again and delicately turned the leaves, scanning the print as he went.

"Yes, here it is" he exclaimed. "Gibbs speaks of his participation in the '_Battle of the Maelstrom'_ . . . an allied attack against the _Endeavor_ . . . dispersal of the EITC armada . . . abdication of the Pirate King . . ."

"No mention of the song" Tonks sounded disappointed.

"Edward, I believe you're looking at the wrong end of the telescope. The pirates united before the battle. See if Gibbs alludes to the purge" Sully spoke with interest.

"Yes . . . quite" Burt grunted turning back a few pages. "Now, let me see . . ." He bent down until his nose nearly touched the text and began working backward. "World's end . . . Singapore . . ."

Suddenly, Burt let loose an explosion of sound. "Eureka!!" he bellowed. "Here, here . . . this passage." He began to read aloud.

_'T'was dark days; many a good man, fine woman, (even some children, God help us!) went to take, as we called it, __**Beckett's Drop!!**__ But, finally, a ray of hope comes to us in the depths of our despair._

_A few brave souls, remembering the Code, sent forth the call. In courageous defiance of our oppressors, __**Hoist the Colors**__ was sung in the very face of Death!'_

Burt sat back, a look of intense satisfaction on his face. He tapped the page with his forefinger. "The good Master Gibbs has even included the lyrics." He laughed again.

"Is it legitimate, Burt" Moody growled.

"Oh, there's no doubt as to the authenticity of the manuscript" Burt rumbled back, looking for confirmation from Sully, who nodded. "Now, there's some question as to the veracity of the author", Burt laughed again, "as the man was a pirate . . . and, rumor has it, had more than a nodding acquaintance with strong drink."

"We'll be wanting a copy of those lyrics" Moody grumbled. "Now, all we need is to identify 'the unclaimed shore'." He looked at Burt expectantly.

"Right" Burt nodded and bent to the book once more. After a few moments, he raised up again.

"Well, there's a bit more. Apparently, after the little sojourn in Singapore and at World's end . . . wherever _that_ is . . . more likely, after Master Gibbs sobered up. . . Anyway, afterwards, the ship Gibbs was on traveled to some pirating enclave at Shipwreck Cove . . . '_where we saw convened the Fourth Brethren Court'_."

Tonks was on edge. They were so close. "What was the Brethren Court, Burt?"

Burt scanned a few more paragraphs then looked up. "Apparently, a rare gathering of the elite of piratical society: the coming together of the nine Pirate Lords to discuss matters of mutual interest."

At this remark, Sully suddenly rose and hurried from the room. His three companions watched him go, and then returned to their discussion.

"So, these lords gather to talk things over. Under the auspices of the Pirate King that Gibbs mentioned" Moody growled.

"Not quite" Burt answered. "Gibbs speaks of four court gatherings, but only two kings. Clearly, the election of a king was even more uncommon than the convening of the court."

Tonks felt her frustration growing. "All this is fascinating, however, beside the point" she said. "Is there any information on claimed or unclaimed shores?"

"Not really" Burt responded. "Gibbs is not forthcoming about the details of the meeting. I don't believe this book will help us find your unclaimed shore."

"But, this one will!"

They all three turned to see Sully marching back into the room carrying yet another book. This one was spread across his palm and looked like a battered diary bound in black leather.

"I had this in my collection of Indian artifacts in my room" Sully crowed triumphantly. "It was the talk of pirate lords that jolted my memory about it.

This is a notebook kept by one Pusasn Sitala."

It seems Pusasn Sitala and his brother served as aides to the Pirate Lord of the Indian Ocean, Sri Sumbhajee Angria; an attendee of the Fourth Brethren Court. They spoke for their lord and Pusasn was charged with keeping copious notes."

Moody rumbled thoughtfully "So, we might say this Sumbhajee Angria _claimed_ lordship over the Indian Ocean." He looked at Sullivan expectantly. "Does the book mention the dominions of the other pirate lords?"

"In point of fact, Alastor . . . it does" Sully grinned at the Auror.

"Unlike _some_ people . . ." he shot a scathing look at Burt who grunted inarticulately, but remained silent, "Sri Sumbhajee seems to have been a stickler for protocol and revered titles."

Sully addressed himself to the book. "Besides the Indian Ocean . . . the list includes the Caribbean, the Caspian, the South China Sea, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic, and the Adriatic Sea."

Tonks looked at Sully for verification to her own conclusion. "No mention of the North Sea?"

Sully looked at her and shook his head. "None whatsoever, my dear" he agreed.

Tonks looked at her mentor and saw the spark of adventure in his eye that she felt in her heart. "Moody . . . I think we have a plan."


	3. Chapter 3

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Four – _To Strike an Accord_

The remote coast of Scotland had many stretches of beach like this. A barren, lonesome strip of sand and stones met water and sky in a landscape unchanged in thousands of years.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the moon had yet to make her appearance, when Moody and Tonks appeared out of thin air on the shore.

Moody scanned the area while Tonks looked out to sea, fascinated by the bonding of endless waves with a black sky full of countless stars.

"Excellent" Moody growled, "Totally deserted; not a soul around."

"I guess this is as good a place as any" Tonks shrugged. "At least, if nothing happens, we'll only look like fools to each other."

Moody grunted. "At least the Ministry won't be in our hair."

"What did you tell Amelia when you sent that owl?"

"I told her the truth; just not all of it. I said we're looking into some disturbances in the North Sea which may have a magical basis. I mentioned Lord Burton, who has contacts in the Muggle Admiralty." Moody looked at his partner. "I just didn't mention goddesses and pirates."

Tonks grinned approval and then heaved a big sigh. "Shall we get to it, then?"

Out of a jacket pocket, Tonks pulled a piece of parchment and unrolled it. She stood next to Moody so both could see the words printed there.

Moody reached in his robe and brought out the old silver coin.

Clearing her throat, Tonks began to sing in a clear, strong alto:

_The king and his men stole the queen from her bed  
and bound her in her bones.  
The seas be ours and by the powers,  
Where we will, we'll roam._

At this point, Moody joined her with his rough bass:

_Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colors high.  
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die._

Moody and Tonks alternated verses, joining on the chorus:

_Some men have died and some are alive  
and others sail on the sea  
– with the keys to the cage...and the Devil to pay  
We lay to Fiddler's Green!_

_Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colors high.  
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die._

_The bell has been raised from its watery grave...  
Do you hear its sepulchral tone?  
It calls to all, pay heed the squall  
and turn your sail toward home!_

_Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colors high.  
Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die._

_Never shall we die._

As the last echo faded, Moody's arm flew forward and the coin arced out over the water to strike with a liquid _plunk_! The Aurors waited silently.

Suddenly, Tonks felt a pulse of energy like some silent explosion sending out a shock wave. "Moody, did you feel that?"

"I did, Tonks. The call's gone out. Keep your chin up as we see what happens."

Tonks continued to stare out to sea, looking for she knew not what. A breeze was wafting in toward the land, stirring her purple locks. A mist was forming out over the water as well, rolling lazily toward the shore.

Now, she began to hear sounds coming from the mist: the distant clang of metal, the ragged scrape of rope on wood, the flap of canvas, the creak of timbers under stress.

The mist was thickening, turning into an isolated patch of fog that slowly rode the waves toward shore. Suddenly, a whole patch of stars just above the horizon were blotted out as if they'd winked out simultaneously. And she heard voices carrying through the air.

Moody's gravelly rumble nearly startled her. "It worked, Dora. They're here." Excitedly, Tonks focused on penetrating the fog and suddenly, she saw it.

A large, wooden sailing vessel sporting three towering masts lay a hundred yards off the beach, rocking in majestic slowness to the rhythm of the waves. The ship carried tattered black sails and was uniformly soot colored along the entire length of her hull. Here and there on the decks, scattered lamps decorated the dark shape with little jewels of golden light. From numerous ports along her sides, Tonks could make out the deeper black of cannon muzzles.

Tonks became aware there seemed to be some activity on the deck of the ship. Two large shadows were descending slowly toward the surface of the water. Reaching the waves, these shadows began a slow crawl toward the beach.

Watching cautiously, wand in hand, Tonks realized these shadows were small boats carrying people. Each boat was identically manned: four pulling oars; one seated at the rear, steering with the tiller. The boats swiftly crossed the waterway between ship and shore and plowed into the soft sand.

One shape detached from the first boat and approached the two Aurors. As Tonks began making out the details of this figure, she knew she'd never seen his like before.

For one thing, he had the most unusual gait she'd ever seen a human being use. If she'd been forced to describe it, she would have called it equal parts swagger and stagger.

But, it was his appearance that caught the eye. He possessed a dress style that projected an air of flamboyance and a touch of the dandy. He wore long sea boots, long, hard-wearing linen trousers and had a knotted striped-red sash tied around his waist. On his back were a long brown coat and a faded blue waistcoat. A white undershirt completed the ensemble.

A red bandanna was wrapped around his head, complemented by a small coin draped over his forehead and partially covered with a faded-black tricorne hat.

Dreadlocked dark brown hair, adorned with all manner of beads and trinkets, drooping dark mustaches and a braided goatee decorated his face. His eyes were shiny, under-scored by some type of dark eye make-up, and conveyed an air of slyness and jovial good will.

This figure from another time walked boldly up to the Aurors. Without hiding his actions, he began giving Tonks an appreciative visual inspection. Smiling with approval, he turned his attention to a serious inspection of Moody's face. His brow knitted quizzically, he seemed to think a moment, and finally addressed himself to Moody in a raspy tenor:

"By any chance . . . you're name's not Larry, is it, mate?"

Moody just looked back in stony silence . . . which had no affect on the pirate's brazen confidence; "Mayhap it's Raghetti, instead . . . I detect a certain likeness" He leaned closer to Mad-Eye and dropped his voice into a conspiratorial whisper:

"Word to the wise, mate . . . if you see a little brown-and-white monkey here abouts . . . safeguard that eye." He pointed at Moody's magical orb and nodded with the air have having conferred the benefit of experience on someone.

Moody continued in sphinx-like silence, looking at the pirate the way a housewife would look at a cockroach in her kitchen.

Grinning broadly, the youngish-looking buccaneer sauntered over to Tonks. Displaying several gold teeth, he looked her directly in the eye and opened his mouth. Before he could speak a single syllable, though, he was addressed by a harsh, bass voice from behind him.

"Come about there, Jacky . . . this is no time for yer blathering."

The affect on Jacky was instantaneous. He froze with a look on his face that Tonks had only seen on Hogwarts students addressed by Professor Snape. He hunched his shoulders, pointed off to his right, and said "If it's all right with you, darling; I'll just be piping down and standing over there by me onesies . . . aye?" He then began side stepping in the indicated direction.

Tonks was now able to focus her attention on the new speaker and got the impression of some grim, animated scarecrow. He wore a long crimson frock coat embroidered with a faded white floral design and a decorated dark brown waistcoat to match. A sash was tied around his waist that bore a sword and a flintlock pistol, and he wore a frilly undershirt.

His hair was stylized in long dreadlocks adorned with beads and small crosses, and was held back by a dark green bandana. He also wore a large bicorn hat decorated with pheasant feathers. Facially, he was gaunt and time-worn with dark, cold eyes marked with dark eye make-up similar to Jacky. In fact, Tonks detected a strong resemblance between the two. She wondered if they were related.

It was the scarecrow's companion, however, who stepped forward as the others stalked up the beach from the boats and gathered in a semi-circle behind him, all facing and studying the Aurors in silence.

This new arrival was a tall man wearing fine clothing. His suit consisted of dark brown, full breeches, a brown, double-breasted waistcoat elaborately ornamented by a pattern and a grey coat with black cuffs, black liner and thin black brims around the buttonholes, fitted with silver buttons. He also wore brown leather swash boots, a shining white shirt, and a yellow sash worn under a leather belt with a bronze buckle and a leather baldric with a big, frame-shaped silver buckle.

His face was covered with pockmarks or freckles and he had many scars, the most notable one is under his right eye. He had a straggly beard running down to the base of his neck. He wore his auburn, graying hair long and loose, covered with a faded light-green bandanna and a big, round, dark hat which is decorated with blue ostrich feathers.

The tall pirate studied the Aurors a moment and then addressed himself to Mad-Eye, speaking in a harsh baritone with a strong West Country accent.

"Be you the ones what summoned us to this God-forsaken spit?"

Moody returned the cold glare of the pirate and answered "We are."

The pirate smirked as though he'd already known the answer and asked "By what means and to what purpose? Answer quickly or face powder and steel . . . We'll not be trifled with."

Moody remained perfectly calm. "We'll give you all the answers you require. However, first meetings generally warrant introductions."

The pirate's yellowed eyes widened momentarily, and then he laughed. "By the powers, that be the truth. My apologies; I must have had me manners shot off in battle."

Drawing proudly erect, he said "I be Captain Hector Barbossa, Pirate Lord of the Caspian Sea and captain of _The Black Pearl_." He indicated over his shoulder with his thumb at the black ship bobbing gently on the waves. At this point, Jacky began some form of vocal protest, but a look from the scarecrow caused him to lapse into silence once more.

Moody seemed to be satisfied. "I'm Alastor Moody and this is Nymphadora Tonks. We are agents of the Ministry of Magic in London, here to accomplish a specific mission."

The pirates began muttering to each other and Tonks detected a definite air of hostility. Barbossa frowned and said "That sounds suspiciously like government, says I. We don't hold for no truck with government."

"It is a governing agency" Moody admitted smoothly, "but, not one that has any feud against pirates. In fact, you might say we represent a group more hated and feared than the worst pirate that ever sailed."

Barbossa looked at the big Auror with new interest. "And what group might that be?"

Moody coolly replied "Witches and wizards."

The collected buccaneers looked at him in stunned amazement . . . then burst into raucous laughter.

Barbossa looked at Moody with a definite sneer on his face. "You're either a talented jester or an incredible fool, Master Moody, I'll give ye that. Now, speak up with who you are and what you want."

"Certainly" Moody said agreeably and pointed his wand to the sky. An enormous ball of green fire erupted from the end of the wand and rocketed skyward. It suddenly raced back to earth, veered toward the startled group on the beach and began racing in circles around them. Several shouts and shrieks later, the ball shot to the sky again, where it exploded and dissipated.

Moody stepped forward and stared Barbossa in the eye in a most unfriendly fashion. "I am a wizard and I want your help."

Barbossa appeared to be a shaken man. "The little missy . . ." he rasped, pointing at Tonks. "She can do those tricks as well?"

"That and a lot more" Moody growled "And they're not tricks, Captain. You'd best get your mind right on that." He looked left and right at the assembled pirates. "What you saw was an example of power . . . raw magical power. I believe power is something you all understand and respect."

This time, the murmurs sounded a bit more agreeable to Tonks. Moody seemed to have struck a chord. But Barbossa demurred.

"Aye, we do know power . . . we've all been on the giving and receiving end of it many times. But, some of us have had brushes with eldritch sorcery in the past and it's not an experience we're anxious to repeat." The agreement grew louder and more united.

Moody spoke through the noise. "Would that experience include someone called Calypso?" He had immediate silence and attention at the mention of the goddess' name.

The tall black man in African garb spoke up. "What do you know of Calypso?", his deep baritone sound half threatening, half concerned.

"It was at her behest that we undertook this mission" Moody addressed the group. "We were charged by the goddess herself to bring you forth to this place and time and, through a joining of our forces, free the sea from a new threat."

The tall, dignified Arab with the curled mustache now spoke. "It is true that we are indebted to Calypso for her assistance in the battle against the fleet of the East India Trading Company. Without her intervention, the Pearl might have fallen to the Dutchman and all of us sent to the gallows."

A big, powerful-looking man with a long grey beard, dressed in long green, red, and golden brown robes and wearing a green and red turban, was whispering in the ear of a flamboyantly dressed cavalier. The latter wore a light purple coat, a powder-blue waistcoat, a frilled cravat, and a dark blue tricorne hat with large blue feathers at the crown. This pirate also had a powdered face with blushed cheek, a thin mustache, a goatee and a large mole on his right cheek.

The flamboyant one now spoke in a deep baritone voice with a prominent French accent. "Sri Sumbhajee wishes to know the nature of zese t'ret."

"Some witch in a land bordering the North Sea has been able to access the source of Calypso's power. Her misuse of this power will throw off the balance of forces in nature and destroy much of humanity in the bargain. Calypso tasks us to put this right." Moody waited in silence as the corsairs digested this intelligence.

Up spoke a tall, elegant Asian man with flowing robes, a scarred, shaven head and dangling mustache and beard. "If the cosmic balance is threatened, the world may be doomed. We cannot turn our backs on this threat." Tonks thought that if this man were an Animagus, he would transform into a leopard. He was very like a leopard in this incarnation; graceful, strong, ferocity held on a short leash. Tonks thought she'd never seen a more dangerous Muggle.

Tonks saw more heads beginning to nod, but Barbossa seemed unpersuaded. "I mistrust this, for certain. Going up against some foreign sorceress . . . I see no profit in it."

Tonks finally chimed in. "Look at it as the lesser of two evils, Captain. You may return from whence you came . . . and face Calypso's wrath; or, you can brave this new enchantress with allies at your side."

Moody made his final pitch. "Choose the second, Barbossa, and you'll have something you haven't before: a full fledged witch and wizard fighting on your side."

Barbossa seemed to hesitate, and then looked to the others for confirmation. "You're sure you want this?" he asked the group, ignoring Jacky's frantic head shakes.

"Very well" Barbossa turned back to the Aurors. "Master Moody, if you'll splice hands on it, we have an accord." Moody stepped forward, hand extended.

__Having reached agreement, Barbossa formally completed introductions. The dangerous-looking Asian was Sao Feng, Lord of the South China Sea. The African prince was Gentleman Jocard, Lord of the Atlantic.

Two people who had not spoken were introduced. One was Mistress Ching, Lord of the Pacific Ocean. She was an elegant Asian woman, with black hair tied up into a tight bun and clasped with an elaborate headdress. Her face was covered in makeup, with a powered white face, blushed cheeks, and reddened lips. She wore a light brown blouse and a crimson-and-gold coat embroidered with dragons over a dark green skirt, clasped with a jade broach and was carrying an ornate cane. It was possible her eyesight was failing because of the way she grasped the arm of her companion.

This companion was a short stout man with graying hair and several streaks of black in his mustache and beard. He had a black hat with a bright white feather, and a brown leather coat with golden embroidery, worn over a faded white shirt. He also wore a large leather strap across his chest and had a belt that held his pistol and sword, as well as dark brown pants and shoes. This turned out to be the Lord of the Adriatic Sea, Eduardo Villanueva.

The final introductions were made: the Frenchman was Capitanne Chevalle who undertook to speak for his friend, the turbaned Sri Sumbhajee Angria. The scarecrow was Captain Teague, formerly Lord of Madagascar and Keeper of the Pirate Code.

"And, finally" Barbossa smirked as he led them to the young pirate who'd made first contact, "We have the illustrious Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord of the Caribbean." Barbossa clapped his hands. "Now that's done; Master Moody and Miss Tonks, please step to the boats and we'll head out to the Pearl." He gestured for Moody to precede him.

Tonks followed in Moody's wake. Suddenly, she felt a sharp, quick pain on the surface of her left buttock. Wheeling in place, Tonks extended her wand and snarled _"Levicorpus!"_ Her incantation was echoed by a startled yelp. As the rest of the pirates drew back in shock, she stepped forward and addressed herself to the one that was struggling mightily while suspended upside-down in midair.

"Moody warned you I was a full-fledged witch, didn't he" she spoke casually. "Now that you've experienced the proof, Captain Sparrow, I think you and I should come to an understanding."

Jack Sparrow ceased trying to control all the accouterments falling from his pockets or dangling toward the ground and focused on the approaching Tonks.

"You have me undivided attention, love" he rasped, mustering what dignity was available in this situation.

"Making allowance for the fact that you're an ignorant pirate, I'm willing to overlook your little indiscretion, just now . . ."

"You're generosity incarnate, darling" Jack broke in, chattering furiously. "Lower me from whatever yard I'm hoisted to . . ."

"However," Tonks stepped firmly on his yammering, "take another such liberty with me and I shall transform you into a toad and use you for bait when I go fishing." She stared directly into Jack's eyes. "Do you understand me, Captain?"

"Indubitably, dear heart" Jack said. "Return me to terra firma and, I assure you, the rest of this voyage, you'll continuously find me as far away from _you_ as I can manage."

Nodding, Tonks flicked her wand and called "_Librecorpus"_. As Sparrow crashed to the ground, the young sorceress turned her back and followed her mentor to the boats.

Captain Jack Sparrow sat up and slowly gathered himself together. He muttered "Well, this trip's not to be as entertaining as I thought."

Behind him, he heard Barbossa's voice. "Oh, I don't know about that, Jack. Pinch her on the arse again and _we'll_ be entertained!" The laughter of Chevalle and Jocard thundered in the night.


	4. Chapter 4

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Five –_ War on the Water _

After five beautiful days and nights at sea, fog had rolled in the previous evening. An unbroken wall of soft, grey-white roiling above the turbulent waves surrounded the ship. It coated everything it touched in a cool, almost slimy coat of moisture.

The wind remained steady and the Pearl forged ever onward, slicing through the dark water with a barely audible hiss. Tonks stared into the clammy gloom ahead, wondering what they might be sailing towards.

Tonks looked up at the quarter deck, watching the command structure in action. Teague had his hands on the wheel, unperturbed as a statue. Nearby, Moody and Barbossa stood in consultation. Probably, Moody was reporting conditions ahead. There was no fog bank that could withstand the power of his eye.

The command structure was one of several aspects of shipboard life that seemed to develop by evolution. It was by common consent that Moody was conceded ultimate authority on the Pearl. He always deferred to the others on decisions affecting ship's operations, but, if Moody stepped into the middle of a dispute, that dispute was settled when he stepped out.

As Moody's apprentice, Tonks found herself awarded second authority. The story of her confrontation with Jack Sparrow had lost nothing in the telling. So, she and Moody split time on deck. They also took turns resting in the captain's cabin while all the pirates used the hammocks below decks. But, at least one of the Aurors was always on duty in case magical intervention between proud, independent seamen was necessary.

Barbossa and Teague generally took turns at the helm. Although the entire company was experienced as commanders, these two were deferred to more often than not. Deference was also paid to Sao Feng who took charge of navigation as he possessed a set of unique charts. He was assisted, surprisingly, by Sparrow who owned a special compass, it seemed.

Jocard assumed command of the galley, assisted by Madam Ching and Villanueva. All made contributions to the ship's fare, providing an exotic variety at each meal. Ship's stores provided most staples, but Jocard made regular forays on deck to harvest something from the sea.

Sumbhajee, Chevalle, and Ammand primarily tended the sails and countless ropes needed to control the ship. When she was on deck, Tonks used to watch all this activity with fascination. But, after two days, she began to fear the stagnation of routine would soon set in. She looked for ways to keep her spirits up.

Tonks noticed that Sparrow seemed to be abiding by the letter of their agreement. Whenever she came into the vicinity, he moved quite hastily to put distance between them. Perhaps he was afraid one of the others would pinch her and put the blame on him.

As proof against boredom, Tonks began sneaking up on Jack, to see his reaction when he detected her proximity. This was invariably a quick double-take and a mad dash to another location. Tonks loved to watch Jack run. Ramrod straight, legs pumping furiously, arms akimbo and waving haphazardly; Tonks thought the sight one of the funniest things she'd ever seen.

Soon after she began her stalking of Jack, she began to notice a change in the pirates' attitude toward her. They all remained slightly leery of Moody, but they began to make the effort to teach her the ins-and-outs of life aboard a sailing ship.

Sao Feng showed her the proper way to traverse the rigging, so she could ascend or descend the ratline smoothly. Jocard let her watch him fish one day; the next, he brought an extra set of tackle for her. Ammand taught her how to read the ocean, predicting movement of current and wind. Villanueva even instructed her in the proper procedure for loading, aiming, and firing cannon. This was one lesson where Moody barged in and made the pirate repeat every little factoid.

The best part of shipboard life, though, was the singing. There were almost continuous songs ringing out over _The Black Pearl_. There were songs to time certain aspects of chores, there were songs when crew were sad, there were songs when they were relaxed, there were songs when they felt happy and childish.

There was one Tonks particularly liked:

_There was a maid in Amsterdam,_

_Mark well what I do say;_

_In Amsterdam, there dwelt a maid_

_A mistress of the sailor's trade;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_A-Roaming, a-roaming, since roaming's been my ru-hu-in;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_Her cheeks are pink, her eyes are brown,_

_Mark well what I do say;_

_Her cheeks are pink, her eyes are brown,_

_Her curly hair is hanging down;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_A-Roaming, a-roaming, since roaming's been my ru-hu-in;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_I put my arm around her waist,_

_Mark well what I do say; _

_I put my arm around her waist,_

_Young man, she said, you're in some haste;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_A-Roaming, a-roaming, since roaming's been my ru-hu-in;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_I put my hand upon her knee,_

_Mark well what I do say; _

_I put my hand upon her knee,_

_Young man, she said, you're rather free;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

_A-Roaming, a-roaming, since roaming's been my ru-hu-in;_

_I'll go no more a-roaming with you, fair maid._

There were more verses where the singer touched various parts of the maid's anatomy and she responded, but Tonks soon learned from Madam Ching that the crew had cleaned up the bawdiest lyrics because of Tonks' presence.

"Men!!" she thought. Are they all the same? And what kind of pirates are these? Do they think I'm some delicate little china doll? She was tempted to belt out a few verses of _Friggin' in the Riggin'_ by the Sex Pistols, but decided they couldn't handle the shock.

But, aside from this over-protection, Tonks rated her days on the Pearl as one of the great experiences of her life. So, as she peered forward through the fog, she didn't feel like a powerful Auror, commanding Muggle pirates through intimidation and fear. She felt like she was a full member of the crew, and loved it.

Tonks decided that straining her eyes against the mist was unnecessary when her partner possessed that magic eye. So, she headed up to the quarter deck. Up on the quarter deck, the command group now included Sao Feng, and he and Barbossa were listening intently to Moody.

"Yes, if we've reached the perimeter waters of the Scandinavian Coast, we'll need to be on our guard. Indications are that she considers this her territory."

"What indications, Master Moody" Sao Feng inquired.

"There've been six commercial freighters lost in this area in the last few weeks."

Barbossa scoffed. "Any sea's an unforgiving mistress. And I never saw a merchant-man worth a split-jib at sailin'."

Moody looked at Barbossa impatiently. "Captain, the merchant-men of this era sail in steel ships ten times the size of the Pearl."

Now, the pirates looked impressed. "Steel, d'ye says? How do they stay afloat?"

"They're full of air, for one thing" Moody growled "but, I've no time to go into all the advances from your time to mine. Just rest assured, those ships are very hardy and this stretch of sea has swallowed 6 without a belch."

Now, Moody looked at the pirates with heightened seriousness. "What really troubles me is the loss of 2 oil platforms off the coast of Norway."

Forestalling Barbossa's question with a raised hand, Moody continued. "Large metal platforms, the size of a village, built out in the ocean to drill below the water for petrol." He looked at the buccaneers. "Trouble is: investigators have concluded these platforms weren't knocked over, like in a storm. These showed signs of being _pulled_ down. And there's nothing in this world can do that."

"There may be now" Barbossa said. "Me only suggestion is to have a chat with Jack Sparrow. He's the only one on this ship what's had experience with sumtin' as pulls things down into the sea."

Barbossa formally relieved Teague from the helm, Sao Feng returned to his chart, and Moody and Tonks set themselves to watch patiently.

After an hour's vigil, Tonks thought she detected a lessening of the white blanket surrounding the Pearl. She also thought she could hear running water.

"Moody, is the fog thinning?" she asked.

"It is, Dora" he agreed, "and about time . . ." Suddenly, he stopped, stared straight ahead, and then rushed to the wheel.

"Barbossa, there's trouble ahead" Moody yelled. "We're coming out of the fog, and there's some disturbance directly ahead."

"Aye, I can feel it" the buccaneer replied. "All hands, to yer stations!" he bellowed.

Tonks stood to one side of the wheel, watching the morning sun burn away the last of the fog, but feeling trepidation about what sounded like a waterfall in the distance and growing louder. She thought she detected something else and wanted confirmation.

"Captain Barbossa, are we picking up speed?" she inquired.

"Aye; there's a fierce current here drawing us forward." He thundered additional orders "Look alive, ye bilge rats. We'll be on top of this new devilry in moments."

The Black Pearl surged forward, breaching the last of the mist and presenting a new scene for the onlookers. A wide, open expanse of water that churned off at a sharp angle from the approaching ship and shot toward its destination as though fired from a gun.

Tonks could now see that destination: a whirling, concave depression, hundreds of feet across, in the surface of the water, spinning in a clock-wise direction down into the depths of the sea.

"Maelstrom; dead ahead!" the call went up from the sturdy corsair, Ammand.

Tonks could now see every detail of the monster whirlpool; the tumultuous grey water firing from right to left at frightening speed; the steep-angled sides working toward the black maw of doom in the center.

"Can we avoid it?" she asked hopefully.

"Nay; we're in its grip, for certain" Barbossa snarled. "Any road, fightin' it is where ships get lost. We use the beast . . . our salvation lies in speed, Missy." He threw the wheel over to port, bringing it back only when the Pearl approached the giant eddy at a sharp angle.

"Moody, shouldn't we apparate away from here?" Tonks asked her mentor with a touch of breathless panic.

"We can't take everyone, Dora. And we'd lose the ship for sure. We need to trust Barbossa's skill and experience." That said, the big wizard turned his gaze grimly forward, watching and waiting. Tonks did likewise, the apparation technique held at the ready.

The Pearl now eased up to the whirlpool and her helmsman took her over the edge. The ship heeled sickeningly, listing far to starboard like it was sailing across a steep hillside. The powerful currents took her, dragging the ship around the outer circle of the maelstrom like an amusement park ride.

Barbossa held the wheel steady with main strength from his braced legs. "More speed" he hollered. "Full bore as we come around, we need faster water." He pulled the wheel sharply to the right, guiding the ship even deeper into the whirlpool.

Tonks felt her throat constrict. What was he doing? How could Moody entrust their lives to a bloody-handed pirate who didn't want to be here in the first place? Tonks got ready to apparate, resolving to at least grab Sao Feng, who was standing at the navigation table, when she did.

Now, the Pearl came around the circuit of the maelstrom, deep in its grip. Barbossa held the wheel in iron hands, looking at the sails. "Any moment . . ." he murmured, "any moment . . . NOW!!!" he bellowed and threw the wheel hard to port.

As the sails bellied out, catching the full force of the wind, _The Black Pearl_ shot to the left, cutting across the face of the whirlpool like a saw across a board. She hit the rim of the maelstrom, bounced spectacularly as she breached the edge and landed on the flat surface of the open sea.

Thrust forward by wind and momentum, the pirate ship blasted across the water, leaving the whirlpool far behind when she finally slowed.

Moody turned to the pirate captain. "Very neatly done, Captain" he said, nodding approval.

"My thanks, Master Moody" Barbossa said, grinning and giving a little half-bow. "Fortune bless us, I've had experience with the like." He stopped smiling and looked grimly out to sea.

"I just wonder what else this witch may have in store for us" he pondered aloud.

It was mid-afternoon when they got an answer.

At that time, Tonks was on the bow, indulging in one of her favorite pastimes: assisting Jocard in fishing for something to add variety to the evening meal.

The captain was seated between Tonks and the rest of the ship, explaining the finer points as they prepared their lines; for the entire world like a patient father instructing a favorite daughter.

Looking up to ask her instructor a question, Tonks was surprised to see Jack approaching them. Maybe he can't see me behind Jocard, she thought. Then, the devil possessed her.

Just as Sparrow reached his objective, Tonks spoke up loud and clear: "I don't know, Jocard . . . I think we need more bait", and shot a significant look at Jack.

Jack Sparrow, without missing a beat or uttering a word, did a complete about-turn in place and headed in the opposite direction faster than he had approached. High-pitched and low-toned laughter chased him.

Tonks turned back to her task, flushed warm from the sun and laughter. She looked out to the horizon, thoroughly enjoying the day . . . and paused, her brow wrinkling. She had been at sea now for six days, yet she could never recall seeing a horizon like this.

There seemed to be an extra, dark-blue line on top of the horizon. She squinted, wondering if the sun was affecting her eyesight, but she could not physically force the line away.

"Jocard . . ." she asked, "Jocard, what's wrong with the horizon?"

The muscular black pirate, still grinning from Jack's discomfiture, glanced at Tonks, then out to sea . . . and then froze, eyes bulging, all semblance of laughter wiped from his face. Tonks felt the hairs on her neck stand up as she watched Jocard.

Suddenly, the Pirate Lord of the Atlantic leaped to his feet and raced aft, bellowing at the top of his lungs: "Rogue wave!!! Barbossa, rogue wave dead ahead!!!"

Tonks rose slowly to her feet, staring straight ahead. The thin blue line was now a thick blue line and stretched across the skyline with no visible breaks.

The placid atmosphere onboard the ship was wiped away. Desperation, bordering on panic, gripped the crew. Barbossa rushed to the rail of the command deck, shouting orders. "All hands aloft; get up in the rigging; climb for your lives, yeh poxie deck apes!!"

Tonks continued to stare at the oncoming spectacle; a giant wall of water, stretched as far as the eye could see in both directions and bearing down on _The Black_ _Pearl_ like a freight train.

Suddenly, a hand pulled at her shoulder, breaking her hypnotized gaze at the on-rushing deluge. Sri Sumbhajee was shaking her and pointing up in the rigging. She nodded, glanced once more at the oncoming disaster, and went up the lines like a veteran.

Reaching the cross-spar, Tonks seated herself side-saddle and gripped the mast for something to clutch. The wave now appeared as a blue/green mountain range that had put to sea and found prey.

Barbossa's voice lashed them from below. "Tie yerselves off or find sumtin to cling to. Ye may be able to float on the wreckage!!" Tonks felt a chill: if these fearless sea veterans were this certain of destruction, did they have any hopes some may survive?

Automatically, Tonks scanned the rigging, taking a head count. She'd been concerned for Madam Ching, but saw the pirate matron clambering up, assisted by Villanueva and Jocard. When her count reached 10 . . . she froze in horror.

Barbossa remained at the helm, steering the ship straight and true, unwilling to abandon his post and Moody . . . was stumping furiously past the masts and headed for the prow!

"Alastor, are you mad? Get aloft while there's time!" Tonks shrieked.

Mad-Eye ignored this plea, reaching the bow. He bellowed back over his shoulder "Everyone stays where they are! Barbossa, steer for the gap!"

Barbossa's answering bawl echoed Tonks' thoughts as well: "What gap?? Moody, are ye blithering??"

For answer, Moody turned back and faced the on-rushing nightmare. Stretching himself to his fullest height, the big Auror extended his staff toward the wave and roared "_Rutilus Mare", _then threw his arms wide.

The towering behemoth seemed to pause for a heartbeat, shudder . . . and, miraculously, where there had been one massive liquid barricade, there were now two.

A large, vee-shaped breach had appeared in the wave almost directly ahead.

Cries of astonishment went up from the perched buccaneers. Cries nearly drowned by the churning, liquid roar of the mighty waves. Barbossa cried out in surprise "By the powers!!" and adjusted course for this one chance.

Tonks held her breath as _The Black Pearl_ drew near the looming water. Through Moody's gap, she could see blue sky and calm, flat sea behind this nightmare. Barbossa strained mightily at the wheel, holding the ship on course. Moody seemed still as a rock, but Tonks alone knew the mental focus required to channel the power needed to maintain that opening in the massive wave. If only they could hold on long enough!

Suddenly, The Pearl tilted down at the prow as she reached the trough of the wave. For several blood-chilling seconds, Tonks feared they were lost and her heart felt ready to explode.

Then, the great ship hit the crest and began to climb to the gap, angling upward and forging onward. Her bow struck the break and pierced through. The lofty walls of the waves brushed past the Pearl, caressing her flanks from bow to stern as they rolled past. The ship scraped cascades of foam off the walls that soaked her passengers. But, she surged forward.

Deep in this canyon between two mountains of water, Tonks saw the tops of the waves were at least 10 feet higher than her present position. She shuddered at what might have been.

And, suddenly . . . they were through. The Pearl shot out of the gap and plowed proudly across the calm waters ahead. The monster waves receded swiftly into the distance. Barbossa slumped at the wheel and Moody sat on the deck, back to the railing, totally spent. The rest of the crew shouted up to the sky in their joy and astonishment at their deliverance.

Tonks felt her breath rush from her lungs and her limbs grow weak from relief. "My God" she spoke aloud, "that was close!"

"_Oui_, much too close, _Cherie_" intoned a solemn voice just below her. She looked down into the grim expression of Chevalle, clinging to the ratlines just below her perch.

"You know, _Mon Chu_, I believe zees witch we must face is . . . how you say; _tres_ _mal_ . . . _tres dangereux!" _He paused and then looked Tonks directly in the eye. "But . . . with you and your frien' Moody with us" he shrugged fatalistically, "per'aps we have ze fighting shance, _n'est pas_?"

Tonks could only grin at the aristocratic buccaneer and reply "_Mais oui, Mon Capitane; Mais oui."_


	5. Chapter 5

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Six – _Legion of the Damned_

_The Black Pearl_ sailed on towards its unknown destination, but the atmosphere on board had become decidedly darker. Lookouts manned the rigging and stood at the bow round the clock. All the pirates were fully armed with swords, pistols, blunderbusses, and grenades. All the faces were tight-lipped and grim. The Pearl was at war and on full-scale alert.

The morning after Moody had saved the ship from the rogue wave dawned grey, overcast, and foreboding. Sao Feng stood at the bow, scanning the horizon while Ammand stood in the rigging just below the main yard. Jack Sparrow was emerging from below deck when a voice hailed him.

"A moment of your time, Captain Sparrow" the gravelly bass of Mad-Eye Moody called out. The pirate froze, eyes darting left and right, as the two Aurors approached him.

"Is this where I get turned into a toad" Jack asked hastily. "Because, I swear upon pain of death, it wasn't me fault."

"Relax, Jack" Tonks counseled impatiently. "You haven't done anything . . . that we know of." She shot him a look that mothers reserve for wayward children.

Moody growled "We need some information. I hear you've had experience with things being pulled into the water from below."

The effect of these words on Sparrow was remarkable. He sucked breath, his eyes widened, and he turned a pale shade of green that had nothing to do with the motion of the ship.

"Oh . . . that" he rasped in a quiet voice. He looked at Moody with a grimace. "If it's all the same to you, mate . . . I prefer not to talk about that little incident . . . let alone think about it."

"No need to talk at all, Jack" Moody snarled. He waved his left hand slightly and muttered _"Legilimens." _ Instantly, Jack froze; his eyes went blank and a puzzled expression spread across his face. Moody studied the buccaneer's eyes for a few moments, and then turned away.

Instantly, Sparrow reanimated, shivering slightly and looking about himself in confusion. "I feel sullied and rather violated, love" he murmured to Tonks. "What just happened here?"

Tonks smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry, Jack; the effect wears off quickly. You may have just saved the ship" She turned to go. "Moody and I need to make some plans."

"How did I do anything? What sort of plans?"

She looked back over her shoulder, a frown on her face. "Plans we hope we won't need." She stalked after Moody, leaving a very befuddled pirate behind her.

The morning continued without incident. Chevalle had relieved Sao Feng at the bow and Jack was climbing the rigging when a voice called out "Sail Ho!"

All went on point like watchdogs hearing a sound in the night. "Where away?" the voice of Barbossa rang out.

Chevalle bellowed in reply "Off zee port bow! A single, square sail . . . coming straight at us." All eyes hastily scanned in the indicated direction; Barbossa pulling out a small telescope.

A dark blur was speeding toward the Pearl, the only discernable detail being a square, red-and-white sail hanging limply from a single mast and yard.

"By all the stars. . ." Tonks heard Barbossa gasp. Then, the pirate captain bellowed "It's a Viking longship! Its deck is teeming with people . . . and it's coming at us with benefit of neither wind nor oar!"

The crew of the Black Pearl stared in astonishment as the newcomer drew close and Barbossa's words were verified.

The slim, wide hull, perfectly symmetrical and bearing a carved dragon head on the prow, slid through the water like a knife. But, this was not a flawless relic of the past that met the disbelieving eyes of the pirates.

Fungus grew on the sides of the Viking in great quantities like bunches of Spanish moss. The wood looked stained, worm-ridden, and dry-rotted; the sail was a mass of ribbons and rags. The entire craft gave off an aura of decay. If the Pearl looked like some dark ghost on the sea, this ship was an animated cadaver of the past.

Moody was scanning the intruder and now whirled to the crew. "It's a new sending from the witch! Those crewmen are Inferi!" At their quizzical expressions, he barked "Animated corpses . . . Zombies! They have no free will, and cannot think. They're moving by the witch's power and do her bidding!"

Barbossa's voice pealed out again. "We be under attack! All hands, to arms! Stand-by to repel boarders!" Drawing cutlass and pistol, he raced toward the bow.

Running hard, Tonks caught up with him. "The cannons!" she shrieked.

"No good" the captain barked back. "I've no forward guns, they don't present me a target to the ones I've got, and, sides, we haven't the crew to man a decent battery. This'll be hand to hand!"

Now, the prow of the stranger bumped the left side of the Pearl just behind her bow. Grapnels on ropes hooked her rails, wooden planks were propped against her sides and a hoard of grey-skinned shambling flesh began swarming onto the pirate ship.

"Remember, they're already dead" Moody roared. "Pain won't stop them. Attack their limbs so they can't walk or grasp."

Ignoring Moody's warning, Chevalle pulled a flintlock and fired directly into the face of the first invader. The pistol roared, the face of the Inferius exploded in blood . . . and the clammy hands continued to reach for the stunned Frenchman.

Suddenly, a kung-fu kick from Sao Feng landed on the body's chest. The force drove the zombie from its perch on the rail and down into the dark water of the North Sea.

Two more corpses swarmed onto the deck, reaching for the nearest defender. A powerful chop from Villanueva's cutlass sheared through the calf of one, bringing it down. The other was nearly split in two by a blow from Ammand's scimitar.

Now, battles broke out all over the deck. Outnumbered defenders found themselves beset by two or three of the monstrous raiders while still more clambered over the rails.

Jocard was bellowing a war cry and smashing legs and arms with some African war club; Villanueva and Ching stood back-to-back chopping at reaching hands; the scimitars of Ammand and Sumbhajee sliced effortlessly through calves and thighs.

Chevalle and Teague filled the air with the bark of pistol fire, taking out wrists, elbows, ankles, and knees. Barbossa was smiting left and right with his cutlass. Sao Feng forsook all weaponry and faced the attackers with the deadly skills of a master martial artist; powerful punches and kicks driving the walking cadavers backward.

Tonks found herself facing the body of a warrior that must have stood seven feet tall in life. As the giant hands reached for her, she ducked to one side and hollered "_Levicorpus_." Her towering opponent was hoisted unceremoniously into the air and a wave of her arm deposited him into the briny.

She saw Moody stumping toward the prow, using _"Ventus Mucro_" to clear three zombies out of his path with a magical whirlwind. Reaching the rail, he pointed his wand at the long ship and roared "_Incendio__!"_

Immediately, the forward end of the ship burst into flames and began to spread. The ragged sail began to go up and so did the queue of Inferi moving toward the boarding planks. "Of course . . . fire" Tonks thought, remembering lectures from Hogwarts on the nature of the Inferi.

Striding to the rail, she stuck her wand in the face of the next zombie attempting to scramble aboard. _"Flamma"_ she shouted and a jet of flame from her wand ignited the creature's entire head. The unthinking corpse released its hold to bat at the flames with both hands and fell directly into the water beside the Pearl.

Looking down, Tonks saw the Inferius break surface, his head now extinguished. With intense single-mindedness, its hands began gaining purchase on the Pearl's planking to begin ascending anew . . . when a grey-black torpedo shape just below the water's surface shot out of nowhere straight at the zombie.

The animated corpse was struck violently, ripped from the side of the ship, and disappeared beneath the waves. Tonks gasped and scanned the waters. Sharks! The water was teeming with sharks! And they were engaging in a feeding frenzy on the Inferi!

The cold-blooded killers of the supernatural had met killers just as cold-blooded and even more deadly.

"Get them into the water" Tonks called. "The sharks will deal with them!"

Putting her words into action, she levitated the nearest zombie into the drink.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from above. "Oy, off the starboard beam . . . we've got more company."

Tonks looked up to see Jack Sparrow still high in the rigging, gesticulating frantically. She looked in the direction he indicated . . . and almost screamed in anger and frustration.

A second dragon galley was powering straight through the water at the Pearl. This one looked even larger than the first, with possibly a hundred zombies crowding its deck. When they combined forces with the fifty or so the crew was already battling, the hapless defenders would be overwhelmed.

Tonks thought with desperate frenzy. What could she do; what could she do? Suddenly, she almost shouted with relief. Mad-Eye was stumping furiously to the starboard rail. "Concentrate on these on board" he roared as he ran. "I'll take care of the new ship."

"Ye heard the man, did ye no?" Barbossa bellowed. "Let's clear the blooming decks!"

Following orders and trusting her partner, Tonks applied flame to a new target and drove it back over the rail. She turned back to see Moody standing at the rail on the other side of the ship, waving his wand in a curious, continuous manner.

"Oy, mate; this is no time to be conducting a bleeding orchestra" Jack's cheeky voice hollered from above. But, whatever further comments Captain Sparrow had for the wizard were rudely interrupted.

It happened so fast, Tonks could hardly believe it. The Pearl gave a slight lurch to port like she'd been goosed; smoke filled the air . . . and the starboard cannons thundered. Cannonballs flew at the approaching dragon ship and blasted jagged holes in her hull and deck.

"God's wounds!" Barbossa cried. "Who's manning the guns?"

"It's Moody" Tonks shouted with joy. "We have a chance, Barbossa; keep fighting." Her words were under scored by a second blast from the cannons, smashing into the intruder and bringing it to a halt.

Tonks looked around the deck to assess their situation. About twelve to fifteen zombies still shambled about the deck, sporting various levels of damage. Their burning ship had been detached and was slowly drifting away from the Pearl.

She was about to start formulating a plan to secure the ship once and for all when that annoying voice from above rang out again. "I say, love . . . If you've got anything up that wand of yours to improve our situation, _now_ might be an opportune time to employ it."

Tonks started to ask what Jack was going to contribute to the battle when she noticed the closest Inferius had twisted his head up in Jack's direction. She looked about. All the shambling cadavers were oriented on the man in the rigging and had taken a pace towards him.

Wild with possibility, Tonks yelled "Everyone, freeze! Jack, talk to them; draw them to you!"

Jack looked at Tonks in sheer disbelief, then shrugged his shoulders and popped a sassy salute in her direction. "Aye, aye, Skipper" he chimed and walked out on the yard.

"Ahoy, you collection of barnacle-infested maggots; has no one ever explained to you how bloody impolite it is to come calling without a previous invite? Makes a poncie pile of cat droppings out of the reputation of us sea rovers, savvy?"

Jack continued to berate the Inferi in a non-stop tirade of invective. Miraculously, all the walking dead seemed to be drawn to the chattering voice of Jack Sparrow, shambling forward until they were bunched together under his position, looking like a pack of extremely ugly hounds that had treed a particularly impudent wildcat.

At that very moment, Tonks struck. _"Incendia Orbis." _she belled. Towering flames erupted in aring of fire about the zombies and slowly began to close in. As the flames drew closer, hair, skin, and ragged garment began to combust from the heat. The zombies tried to draw back from the fire, but the fire was everywhere. Their retreat simply put them in contact with a different flame. They were doomed.

Tonks stepped back to the port rail, watching the conflagration of floundering bodies with a sense of satisfaction . . . and was suddenly seized from behind by a pair of cold, strong arms. One arm wrapped around her torso, pinning her arms at her sides. The other clamped a wet, slimy hand over her chin and mouth and began forcing her head backwards.

Tonks struggled against her captor, but that iron grip was inexorable. Her head was forced further back, bowing her neck and upper spine painfully back. She bit futilely at the fingers; she writhed impotently and stared in open-eyed panic to all sides.

She had nearly given herself up for dead when, out of the corner of her right eye, she saw a red-and-black blur streak through the air. Something struck behind her with a forceful impact and the clutching hands were violently torn from her.

The impetus spun her around, facing the rail, and she saw two things: the body of one of the zombies plummeting down to disappear into the water with a spectacular, shark-attracting splash and a figure dressed in red and black swinging out over the water on the end of a rope.

From his perch on the yard, Jack Sparrow had watched Tonks immolate the crowd of Inferi below him . . . and had seen her grabbed from behind by one of the demons crawling up the side of the ship. Without hesitating, he acted.

Seizing the nearest hanging lanyard, Sparrow launched himself like a clock's pendulum straight at the struggle at the rail. He collided with the zombie feet first, knocking the thing free from its victim and down into the sea below. The momentum of his swing carried him out over the water.

Just as he reached the apex of his swing and was preparing to spin about as he swung back to the ship, several things happened at once. Jack heard the quick, dry _snap_ of parting hemp and felt the length of rope in his hands go slack. He hung in space for a heartbeat, (just long enough to mutter "Oh, Bugger!") and then plunged straight down towards the shark-infested sea below.

Arms and legs flailing, bellowing in panic at the top of his lungs, Jack fell towards certain death . . . when his plunge began to slow and suddenly stop, where he hung head downward about five feet above the water. Then, slowly, Jack Sparrow began to rise in the air and float gently back toward the Pearl.

Crossing the railing and now suspended over the deck, Jack looked down into the cheering faces of some of the Brethren . . . and at Tonks who had that blasted wand of hers pointed directly at him with a look of intense concentration on her face. Bringing the wand slowly downward, Tonks deposited Jack gently on the deck and let out her breath in one big gust.

Sitting up and dusting himself off, Jack looked about. Barbossa and some of the others were tossing the last of the burned corpses over the side, the first galley was a smoldering ruin sinking slowly beneath the waves and, standing up, he could see that Moody's target was a floating pile of splintered kindling surrounded by lifeless bodies. The Pearl had survived this encounter with the dead!

Tonks approached Jack, a sheepish smile on her face. "Thank you, Jack. Thank you for saving me."

Sparrow grinned back at her in his most ingratiating and insolent manner. "Yer welcome, darling; And thank you for your timely intervention as well." He pulled himself erect and straightened his hat. "I value the invigoration of a good swim now and again, mind . . . but, I'm just as happy to forego the pleasure at the present time."

Tonks laughed and turned to rejoin Moody. Jack called after her. "Does this mean I can quit worrying about becoming a toad, then?"

Tonks stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "Why, Jack . . . whatever gave you _that_ idea?"


	6. Chapter 6

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Seven – _Birds of the Air, Beasts of the Sea_

Overcast skies were supplemented with a new blur of grey-black on the horizon: the dark shadowed coast of Norway. As the Pearl drew closer, Tonks began to discern features of the landscape.

Towering cliffs of hard granite of a variety of grays and blacks were the predominant characteristic. White snow caps and the occasional sparkling glacier broke the monotony of the scene. And, of course, the famous fjords: deep grooves cut into the land flooded by the sea following the end of the Ice Age. Here and there, she could pick out a beautiful waterfall.

"How will we find her in this maze?" she speculated aloud.

"The chart is useless, now" she heard the soft voice of Sao Feng at her shoulder. "From here, our only guide is Sparrow's compass."

She looked back toward the quarter deck and saw the figures of Barbossa at the wheel, Sparrow standing to one side with the compass in his hand, and Moody standing directly behind Jack.

Oh well, she thought. Coerced help is better than none at all.

She still had a partial smile on her face when she turned back to view the coast and noted a small flock of seagulls had risen from a nearby cliff and were milling about in the air, screaming raucously.

I wonder what's stirred them up, Tonks thought, ever on the alert for danger.

She glanced down the coast and saw several more flocks rising into the air from their cliffside resting places. Looking straight up, Tonks saw more gulls cruising through the air above the ship, coursing left and right as though on patrol.

"I'm getting a bad feeling" she murmured out loud and turned to run toward the quarter deck.

She was just approaching the stairs to the deck when a voice shouted "Duck!" Auror-trained reflexes took over and Tonks dropped straight to the deck. As she did, she felt something brush violently through her hair.

Looking up from her crouch, she saw Moody standing above her at the rail. "That bird nearly took your head off. Get your wand out, Tonks. We're under attack!"

Tonks looked around her in horror, for insanity had erupted on the deck of _The_ _Black Pearl_.

Screaming, flapping gulls were dive-bombing the humans; the pirates ducked and dove or dodged behind the masts and under the staircases. Swords were swiped impotently through the air and an occasional flintlock roared.

Keeping her head shielded with one arm, Tonks fired _"Reducto"_ charms into the air, hoping for a hit or to at least dissipate the swarming attackers. But, the supply of screeching bodies seemed endless.

Villanueva tossed a lit grenade into the air. The eruption scattered a small mass of birds and several carcasses hit the water. But, the survivors reformed and dived for the ship again, causing the Lord of the Adriatic to drop and roll.

Ammand reeled over near Tonks, flailing vigorously over his head with a length of chain. "Even when they are massed, there's no solid target" the corsair cursed. "The flocks are 90% air and feathers."

"Don't forget beaks and talons" Sao Feng shouted. "Bear _those_ in mind, my friend." The Chinese buccaneer was bleeding from half a dozen scratches on his face.

Suddenly, a voice bellowed _"Erumpo Incendia"_ and a ball of red fire exploded in the air above the ship. The noise scattered the gulls and drove them out over the water.

Tonks took advantage of the respite and sprinted to join Moody. "Good one, Mad-Eye" she complimented her mentor.

"Not good enough" he snarled. "Look". He pointed out over the water off the port beam. The fragments were linking up; combining into one massive flock perhaps a thousand birds strong.

"What do we do now?" she moaned in sheer frustration. Suddenly, she noticed Chevalle, looking decidedly ragged, had joined them.

"My frien', Sri Sumbhajee, said to tell you zat in India, when zey 'unt zee tiger or leopard, zey lure zee beast to its doom wit bait." The Frenchman panted.

Moody looked at the pirate speculatively, glanced at the giant mass of birds, and then bellowed "All hands, to the quarter deck."

Standing at the wheel, bleeding and torn, Barbossa snarled "There be less cover on the quarter than amidships!"

"Exactly" Moody shouted back. "Form a group around Barbossa and stand fast."

The entire crew rushed to obey, forming a tight group around the helm and watching the advancing flock.

The airborne menace wheeled about the ship like a single being, turning to the stern and gaining altitude. The great mass moved with the lethal sinuousness of a flying dragon or snake.

It climbed to a great height, turned as one, and dove at a 45 degree angle straight at the bunched crew at the rear of the ship.

Pressed between Moody's back and Barbossa's, Tonks could only gape in astonishment at the feathered avalanche bearing down on her from the sky. She was closing her eyes reflexively when she heard Moody shout _"Palme Contego."_

A shimmering, translucent shield of pure violet-colored energy snapped into existence around the group of humans . . . just as the screaming, diving mass of birds slammed into it at full speed. The result was spectacular . . . and revolting.

A living hailstorm battered at the magical shield, pounding relentlessly and smearing the surface with blood and feathers. Mangled, crushed carcasses piled up on the quarter deck on either side of the crew. The bombardment lasted almost a minute but not one of the living missiles penetrated the shield . . . or lived to fly away.

Dropping the shield, Moody stepped away from the carnage and scanned the skies. "Not a bird in sight" he reported to the rest.

"Well done, matey" Barbossa complimented. "Let's clear away this mess." Several shovels were used to scoop the remains over the side and Tonks used _"Aguamenti"_ to hose off the deck.

"We must be close; she knows we're here" Jocard growled.

"Aye; we'll stay sharp for her next little scheme" Barbossa snarled, taking a new heading from Jack.

The ship sailed on up the coast. The wind held steady and seabirds gave the vessel a wide berth. They cruised for perhaps two hours when something struck the Pearl amidships on the port side with a loud _'Thunk'_.

All hands were immediately on alert. "Did we hit something?" Tonks called out.

"No" replied Ammand from the bow, "there was nothing in our path."

"Then, something hit us" Chevalle shouted, rushing to the port railing.

Tonks leaned over the rail, looking along the ship's side for any visible signs of damage. Suddenly, she heard a splash and a high-pitched squeal, and her vision was obscured by a dark, black something with a pink center and an outer ring of white.

She felt a hand grab the back of her jacket and forcefully yank her backwards. Tonks got the impression of a large, black-and-white blur before she was deposited unceremoniously on the deck. She looked up into the face of Jack Sparrow.

"Lucky for you, love, Sao Feng has fast hands" Jack rasped, helping her to her feet. "Elsewise, you'd never have to fuss about yer hairstyle again."

"What happened" she gasped, thoroughly confused. She heard another _'Thunk'_ on the Pearl's side.

"You looked over the rail" Jack continued matter-of-factly, "and one of yon beasties jumped up and nearly took yer head off."

Stepping back to the rail and glancing down, Tonks saw black-and-white torpedo shapes sliding through the water at astonishing speed. Now and then, one would arc up and break the surface or rush into the side of the Pearl headfirst.

"Orcas!" the cry went up. "If they keep ramming the same spot, they may damage the hull."

The thumping on the hull continued; a relentless dull booming sound. The crew rushed to the side, but the killer whales leaped out of the water, snapping their bear trap jaws. Boat hooks and boarding axes were employed to attempt to fend off the savage cetaceans, but the targets stayed tantalizingly out of reach.

"Come on, Tonks" Moody said, grasping her elbow and pulling her along as he stumped toward the fight. "There's wizard's work to be done."

Reaching their objective, Moody ordered "Everyone back! Tonks, guard my flanks." Looking down, he roared _"Vulcanis Maxima!"_

A beam of intense red light shot from Moody's wand and played across the surface of the water. Instantly, the water began to bubble and steam in a 50 yard arch around the ship's side. Focusing intently, Mad-Eye heated the water to boiling, rendering it uninhabitable to the sea creatures.

One orca shot up out of the water toward the Auror, but his partner was ready this time. Using the same spell that had rescued Jack Sparrow, Tonks levitated the killer whale completely over the Pearl and sent it splashing into the water on the far side of the vessel.

The dull thudding on the hull ceased as the orcas were unable to get close enough to the ship to touch her. Any leaps were fended off by the young witch as she hurled whales left and right.

Suddenly, Moody stopped his beam and drew back. "What's wrong, Moody" Tonks gasped.

"Nothing yet" he rumbled. He pointed off to his left. "Look there."

Following his direction, Tonks saw a number of tall, black fins slicing through the waves away from _The Black Pearl_.

"They're leaving!" she squealed. "We beat them."

"Or they were called off" Moody snarled. "Don't drop your guard now."

Abruptly, _The Black Pearl_ gave a violent lurch and came to a halt, despite the strong wind filling her sails.

"Did we hit something this time?" Tonks hollered at Moody.

The big Auror looked down at the deck, concentrating intently. "No, we've just met Jack's old friend. He's got the keel in his teeth." Raising his head, Moody bellowed, "All hands, to the rails! Half to port, half to starboard! Move!"

Rushing to the starboard railing, Tonks looked down . . . and gasped in horror.

Six giant, gray-green tentacles, each as thick as a tree trunk and covered with suckers the size of dinner platters were slowly slithering up the side of the ship.

Reaching the rail at her side, Jocard took one look, and then yelled a single word: "Kraken!!"

"Arm yourselves!" Moody roared. "Attack the tips of the arms! We must make it release its hold!"

A horrific stench assaulted Tonks' nostrils; the stink of a rancid pile of garbage left in the summer sun. Exerting all her control on her throat to keep her meal down, she focused on the nearest tentacle that was now reaching over the rail like some blind python searching for a meal.

Igniting her wand, Tonks played fire over the tip of the questing appendage. There was a faint sizzle like frying bacon, an intensification of the nauseating odor, and the member jerked away in a most satisfying manner.

Aligned along the rail at her side, the pirates were attacking these invaders with a will. Cutlasses, scimitars, boat hooks were all employed to cut gashes in the thick hide of the monster. The wounds oozed a colorless ichor and the arms twitched in pain and pulled away.

As suddenly as they appeared, the tentacles dropped out of sight below the surface of the water.

"Is it gone? Are we safe?" Jocard called to Moody, who stood at the port rail and scanned the water with his magical eye.

"No" Moody called back. "It's regrouping for a new attack. All of you form a group in the center of the deck. Stay away from the rails." He looked at his apprentice. "Take the starboard side, Tonks; we go on my signal."

Tonks nodded vigorously and stationed herself at the starboard rail. She stood ready, watching her instructor and ignoring the massed pirates standing between them.

"Steady, lass" she heard Moody call. "Steady . . . steady . . . NOW!!!"

Three actions took place simultaneously: twelve monster tentacles, poised like cobras ready to strike, broke water on both sides of the Pearl; two voices (one alto, one bass) bellowed _"Levita Tentatio_"; . . . and two wands began emitting bolts of lightning straight down into the water surrounding the pirate vessel.

The great arms were thrown into a series of jerks and spasms; sparks and runners of electricity crawled across their surface. The water was roiled into froth by the violent movements of the tentacles.

The air was filled with the snap, sizzle, and crack of an enormous discharge of electrical power, along with smoke and steam from the surface of the sea. There was also an unpleasant smell that Tonks likened to burning tires.

The pirate crew gaped in astonishment at the damage being inflicted on the terror of the seas and wonder at the power of their strange allies. The two Aurors stood at the rails, focusing on nothing but firing blasts of destruction into the monstrous attacker lurking in the water.

Now, the air was split by a screeching, metallic sound like the squeal of a train's brakes magnified a hundred times over. The sound continued unabated as Moody and Tonks fired bolt after bolt of electric death into the dark water around the ship and the mighty cephalopod sirened its agony.

"Moody, I think we're winning" Tonks called through gritted teeth. The flailing of the giant appendages was decidedly weaker to her mind.

"We are, lass; but, don't let up" the big Auror hollered back. "We want this completely finished." Nodding her head, Tonks returned all her attention to the task at hand.

A sudden lurch by the ship nearly threw Tonks off her feet, but she held her balance. "He's let go. The ship's free" Barbossa cried.

As Tonks watched, continuing with her part of the Kraken's death sentence, she saw the twitching feelers slowly sliding back into the depths. The tips were the only parts still moving and these were in just barely perceptible spasms. The keening wail faded quietly into stony silence.

"Enough, Tonks" Moody called, releasing his spell. Tonks shivered with gratitude as she released as well. Her neck and shoulders ached from tension and concentration, she had a beast of a headache, and she couldn't remember being so tired.

But, no sign on the water showed any clue of the battle that had ensued here.

"Well, Sparrow" Moody growled through his exhaustion, "Your wee beastie is dead."

Jack looked at the wizards in amazement. "Where were you lot when I really needed you?"


	7. Chapter 7

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Eight – _Fire & Ice_

_The Black Pearl_ rocked gently on the swells of the fjord; a steady, soothing up-and-down rhythm on the moderate waves of the dark water. Tonks stood at the starboard rail with her companions, surveying the spectacular vista in front of her.

Towering cliffs encircled the ship on three sides. Each bluff was swathed in shining, austere curtains of ice that cascaded grandly towards the eternal sea. Capping the center precipice was an elaborate citadel that appeared to be made entirely of white ice. The central block, the towers on each corner, the crenneling and ramparts all gleamed coldly in the bright sunlight.

Moody grunted and turned to Barbossa. "She's got the place powerfully warded, so Tonks & I won't be able to apparate in. It's lucky I can make out a few details inside the walls. We'll need to make an entrance, Captain."

Barbossa sighted experimentally through his spyglass. "It's not a difficult shot for the deck guns, Master Moody. If you'll mark a target, we'll breach the walls for certain." He turned to the other pirates. "All hands to the guns; boarding party, get prepared."

Chevalle and Teague stuck flintlocks deep into their belts and began filling pouches with powder and pockets with shot. Barbossa and Sao Feng were positioning daggers up sleeves, in boot tops, and down their collars. The remaining pirates were arming and positioning four of the starboard cannons and loading them for a volley.

"Captain Sparrow" Moody bellowed, "Take charge of the ship. See to her defenses." Ignoring Jack's sputters of protest, Moody turned and pointed his wand at the gleaming keep on the cliff. A great golden ball of light appeared at the base of the outer wall. "There's your target" the wizard roared. "Prepare to fire!"

At some unseen signal from the battery teams, Barbossa snarled "Mark your target . . . and _fire!!"_ At his command, fire was touched to powder and four cannons thundered in unison.

The two Aurors moved reflexively with the roar of the cannons. Tonks stuck her wand between her teeth and seized Chevalle and Teague by an elbow each. Whirling on the spot, she concentrated all her mental faculties on the glistening ice castle and the hole she knew was blasted in its outer wall. A moment's disorientation (and a slight feeling of nausea) and she and her passengers stood on the hard-crusted floor of the breached chamber. Instantly, Moody, Barbossa, and Sao Feng appeared beside them and, feeling the relative safety of numbers, Tonks took a quick survey of the room they had just entered.

It was a long, rectangular room about the size of a Hogwarts classroom. It was uniformly made of smooth, blue-white sheets of ice. The low ceiling and rough floor reflected the light from the breach they'd made in the wall. The room was austere and featureless except for a large archway down at their left, a raised dais containing a massive crystal throne to their right, and one thing more.

Sitting directly before them was an object Tonks could only describe as a well: a table-sized rim of carved white marble about two feet high and five feet across. It was perfectly circular and the open center gave off an eerie glow of immense power.

Moody approached the marble well and began examining the carvings. Tonks peered over the rim . . . and immediately wished she hadn't.

The marble surround housed a deep, dark, swirling pit that dove straight down into the earth. Black smoke and forks of lightning were evident nearest the surface and lava and fire were seen far down in the bottomless depths. Tonks felt a vertigo-induced urge to vomit. "Is this it, Mad-Eye?" she gasped.

"It is" Moody rumbled. "These runes" and he pointed at the carvings, "indicate some form of bond between this pit and its mistress."

"I confess meself confused" Barbossa growled. "Why would she leave the source of her power sitting in this chamber, unguarded?"

Before any member of the group could essay an answer to Barbossa's inquiry, a melodious, laughing voice spoke up: "Why, I believe it's easier to destroy my enemies when they come to me!" As one, the adventurers drew weapons and spun towards the sound.

Stepping out from behind the giant throne and striding to the edge of the dais was an imposing figure. A tall, young woman of apparent Nordic descent, she was garbed in a flowing gown of purest white, lightly encrusted with diamonds and showing flashes of crystal buttons. Lovingly, she cradled an ornate crystal scepter in her hands. A diamond-studded tiara surmounted a foaming cascade of honey-colored hair that fell to her shoulders and framed a face of extreme beauty.

Her smooth, flawless complexion was detailed with high cheekbones and a petite nose. Azure-blue eyes surveyed the group from under half-drawn eyelids with the expression of a cat surveying a group of mice. The red lips of her full mouth were drawn back in an arrogant smirk of amusement and cruelty.

She stopped at the edge of the dais and addressed the adventurers. "You've been far more trouble to me than I'd imagined. But, now that you're here at the seat of my power, I'll dispose of you quickly and completely." With a chuckle, she raised her scepter. "Destroy them, my pets!" she shrieked.

In answer to the witch's summons, a ravening avalanche of fur-covered fury came stampeding through the archway, directly at the band of intruders. A tidal wave of blazing eyes and ivory fangs bore down on them, snarling furiously.

"Wolves!" Sao Feng hollered, pulling out his cutlass and impaling the first attacker that flung itself at him.

"Backs against the wall" Barbossa called, striking out with his sword. "Don't let them behind you or you'll be pulled down for certain." Blades flashed like lightning, accompanied by the thunder of flintlocks as the dark cloud of the wolf pack spread out through the throne room.

Tonks was charged by a large wolf; foaming, growling, and snapping its jaws. A thrust of her wand and the wolf received the same treatment as one of the attacking orcas: levitated and flung through the hole in the wall to the sea below.

The two wolves charging Moody got a blast from his wand and were incinerated on the spot. Suddenly, a swirling white cloud of fog belched out of the marble maw next to him and engulfed the Auror from head to foot.

Tonks screamed and turned to her mentor. But, the fog dissipated, leaving behind its handy-work: Mad-Eye was encased in a shell of pure ice!

"No!" Tonks bellowed, thinking frantically of a spell to free her partner quickly. Just then, she saw the magic eye swivel towards her and a red glow emitted from the wand frozen in his right hand. "He's alive!" she thought, "and breaking free."

Tonks saw water beginning to pour off of Moody's ice-encased form and was beginning to ignite her own wand to speed the thawing along when another sound made her stop. Behind her, she heard the throaty laughter of the sorceress and, dismissing all other considerations from her mind, turned to face her enemy.

The enchantress stood at the edge of the dais, twirling her scepter in her hands, a sneer of contempt pasted across her features. "I've decided to dispose of you personally, my sweet. Make your peace with this life; perhaps the next will be kinder."

Tonks didn't waste any breath in threats or boasts. Alert, poised on the balls of her feet, wand at the ready, fully focused on her opponent; she was a very picture of the warrior ready to strike.

The witch struck first; sending a bolt of killing potency flaring at her target. But, the target wasn't there. Tonks had hastily dodged right at the first glimmer of movement of the woman's staff arm.

"Oh, you're a nimble little minx, aren't you?" the witch cackled. "So much the better; let's find out just how quick you are." So saying, she shot another bolt at Tonks.

This time, Tonks shoulder-rolled to the left. She was determined, however, not to be the target in some bizarre shooting gallery. So, as she rolled to her feet, she came up firing.

"_Stupefy_" she roared and blasted a stunner directly at the witch. The energy bolt flew directly at its target . . . and exploded mere inches from her chest. The impact sent her staggering back, but she quickly regained her balance and glared at her young foe.

"Foolish wench!" she snarled. "I possess the power of the earth itself. Your paltry little spells cannot hurt me." With this pronouncement, she unleashed another bolt at Tonks.

This time, Tonks' dodge was a back somersault to land in a crouch next to the blasted wall where they had entered the chamber. She took a quick survey of the room.

The ice-encased form of Moody was half-completed with its thawing, but too slowly to help her.

Sao Feng and Barbossa stood back-to-back, withdrawing cutlasses from wolf carcasses at their feet. Chevalle and Teague worked in unison; one reloading while the other fended off ravening wolves with flintlock thunder. But, there were always more wolves.

"So . . . how about indirectly?" Tonks snarled. Levitating a piece of broken ice from their impromptu entry-way, Tonks chanted _"Surculus" _and fired it at the witch. The makeshift missile struck her on the cheek, shattering into a thousand shards and eliciting a howl of outrage and pain. Raising a hand to her face, she wiped blood from a gash in her cheek and then turned an expression of pure hatred on her young assailant.

"Slut!!" she shrieked, "you will pay for this! I'll make you beg me to kill you!" The witch levitated the ice fragments and fired them back at Tonks like a flock of silvery needles.

Tonks threw her arm across her eyes as the projectiles struck. She felt them rip into her forehead, cheek and chin; stinging like a swarm of wasps. Quickly shifting position again, she fired several more missiles at her enemy, but the woman had apparently learned from her mistake and erected a magical shield against such projectiles.

"Try this" Tonks shouted . . . and fired a _'Reducto'_ blast directly at the marble circle of the well. The discharge took out a large chunk of the marble rim, raised a cloud of smoke, and brought out another shriek from the witch.

"No!!! You will not rob me of my power!!" A detonation knocked Tonks backward. Scrambling into a crouch, she looked up.

The witch had left the dais and now stood between Tonks and the abyss, shielding it from the young Auror. Her hair was disheveled, her cheek bloodied, her mouth drawn into a snarl, and hellfire blazed in her eyes.

"You brainless little fool; prepare to die" the sorceress hissed. She raised her staff for the kill.

Pointing her wand at the woman's feet, Tonks bellowed "_Calderia Inverto_". A mound about one foot high erupted straight up out of the level floor, throwing the witch off balance with the sudden change in elevation. As she frantically struggled to regain her equilibrium, Tonks launched herself from her crouch.

As she sprang, Tonks swung her left arm in a roundhouse punch aimed directly at the witch's face. All the strength of her athletic young body was in that clout and she felt the satisfying smack of fist against flesh as her haymaker landed on target.

Another shriek of indignation and pain escaped the woman's lips and, through a thin haze of blood dripping from her torn forehead, Tonks saw the pale form of her foe driven backward from the force of her blow. The witch went whirling back; swiftly, inexorably . . . straight toward the marble-rimmed pit behind her.

She went tottering backwards until her legs fetched up hard against the marble edge. There was a split second where Tonks saw an expression of horrified realization on the pale face . . . and then, the sorceress flipped backward over the rim and plunged headfirst into the endless reaches far below.

A single, drawn-out scream echoed and faded, but, when Tonks reached the edge of the orifice and looked down, the witch was gone. Tonks wiped blood from her eyes and snarled after her departed enemy, "So who's brainless now . . . you bitch?"

Overwhelmed by exhaustion and aching all over, Tonks wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep right on the spot. Suddenly, she felt strong hands seize her upper arms and draw her to her feet. She started to lash out when she heard Moody's familiar growl in her ear. "You've been brilliant, lass; but, stay focused! I can't apparate everyone and this place is falling apart."

Shaking herself, Tonks stood up and looked about. The aperture was flashing violently with sickly green pulses of light. The walls were shaking in stronger and stronger tremors. Cracks appeared in wall, ceiling and floor; debris was raining down and a deep rumble could be heard from every direction.

Tonks leaped forward and grabbed Chevalle and Sao Feng by the elbows. Concentrating as she never had before on the deck of the Pearl, she turned sideways on the spot . . . and felt the welcome sensation of a heaving wooden deck beneath her feet, sun on her face, and wind in her hair. Behind her, she heard the roar of an avalanche.

Looking about frantically, she let out her breath at the sight of Moody, Teague, and Barbossa disentangling themselves from their appearance on the other side of the deck. Giving in to weariness, Tonks slumped to a seat on the nearest hatch cover and glanced at the citadel of ice.

In place of the glittering ramparts, a smoking pile of crystal rubble marked the location of the former palace. She nodded her head. "Held together by her will . . . sealed forever" she murmured.

"Aye, Dora" she heard Moody say as he approached her. "You've taken care of every little detail. Now, let me attend to you . . . then, it's off to the cabin for a well-earned rest." So saying, Moody began applying the _Episky _charm to her cuts and bruises.

Barbossa approached Tonks, his expression one of disbelief mingled with respect. "Suren, I thought we was all goners. How was you able to best the witch, missy?"

Tonks grinned at the pirate captain. "Obviously, she never had the benefit of training with someone like Moody. One of the first lessons he ever taught me was: _Don't be deceived by appearances!_ She couldn't have chosen a more dangerous opponent than me. "

At Barbossa's puzzled look, she laughed and elaborated: "Moody may look like a monster, but, when it comes to dealing with women, he's chivalrous and quite gentle." She sat up proudly and pointed at her chest with her thumb. "I . . . am . . . neither."


	8. Chapter 8

The Mistress of the Abyss

(From _"The Adventures of Mad-Eye Moody"_)

Chapter Nine – _Homeward Bound_

As the Norwegian coast disappeared behind them, Tonks mentioned the strong, warm breeze, which was powering them homeward, to Moody.

"Who knows" Mad-Eye shrugged. "Maybe it's a token of appreciation from our patron." Tonks looked about and shivered a bit. She'd just as soon not be reminded of Calypso.

_The Black Pearl_ made way back toward the British Isles; the veil of dread that had characterized the trip to Scandinavia was gone, replaced by an atmosphere of celebration and camaraderie.

The spirit of the voyage was especially felt by the Pirate Lords. Although they still only spoke to Moody when necessary, they seemed to have adopted Tonks as a daughter; or, at least, a mascot. Most members went out of their way to show her some gesture of gratitude and inclusiveness.

She would sit on the quarter deck with Teague, who would tell her tells of pirate lore, explain the workings of the Pirate Code, and taught her how to charge and fire a flintlock pistol.

Captain Sao Feng instructed her in his form of martial arts, while Chevalle tutored her in French and swordplay. Jocard, in addition to their daily fishing excursions, showed her the uses of the formidable spear and war club from his homeland and, at nights, spun marvelous native folktales that Tonks found fascinating.

Even the more reserved members of the crew made gestures towards her. Villanueva presented her with an ornate Spanish dagger and Mistress Ching made her a gift of a beautiful jade broach. Ching also gave her whispered advice about being a strong woman in a male dominated society.

Tonks absolutely loved it when Ammand the Corsair taught her a traditional dance from his native land. She was especially pleased that its risqué movements of hip, thigh, and torso were guaranteed to send Jack Sparrow scurrying below decks when she practiced.

She learned two facts about Sumbhajee: one was that he had been a holy man prior to his career as a pirate; the second was that he only spoke through others because he was embarrassed by his squeaky, falsetto voice. So, Tonks was especially touched when Sri Sumbhajee indicated he wished to conduct a ceremony to confer a traditional Hindu blessing upon her.

It took all of Tonks' discipline (and a severely bitten lower lip) to get through the ceremony with proper decorum and respect. It was so disconcerting to hear that high-pitched voice coming out of the big, impressive looking man that Tonks had to suppress a mental image of receiving a religious benediction from Mickey Mouse.

But, perhaps, Tonks' happiest moments on the homeward voyage were the afternoon hours when Captain Barbossa turned over the helm of _The Black Pearl_ to her. He stood at her side and explained the intricacies of seamanship and navigation while she steered the ship on the open sea.

Tonks felt that if it were possible to die of happiness, she would never have survived the trip home.

All too soon, it came to an end. One evening, _The Black Pearl_ dropped anchor off a beach in Scotland and they all gathered amidships to bid their farewells.

The two Aurors walked the line of pirates and there were hearty handshakes for Moody and equally hearty hugs for Tonks . . . with one notable exception.

As Tonks released her embrace on Chevalle and turned to the last man on the line, she saw Jack Sparrow exchange a gingerly handshake with Moody, and then draw back as though he'd half-expected his appendage to be lost forever.

"Well, Jack" she grinned at the pirate, "it's certainly been memorable. Would you like a goodbye kiss?"

Sparrow took a half-step back from her and held up his hands defensively. "No thank you, love" he rasped out. "Now, don't take it personally, darling; you're a bonny lass and all that; but, I've discovered that traveling about with women what can turn me into a toad has a rather stifling effect on me natural ardor."

"Oh . . . I see" Tonks responded calmly . . . then, she flung her arms around Jack's neck and planted a firm, passionate kiss directly on his mouth.

"There" she commented happily as she released the startled buccaneer, "that ought to break the spell." She spoke loudly enough to be heard over the hoots and guffaws of the rest of the crew.

"To be sure, love" Jack shot back, regaining his equilibrium. "I believe that now, you're transforming me into stone . . . well, part of me at any rate."

She laughed and stepped back next to Moody, facing the members of the Brethren Court. "Good-bye! I'll never forget any of you" Tonks called to her new friends.

Moody was a bit more formal. "Farewell, my friends" he intoned. "I don't know what the fates have in store for you, but, for what you did on this mission, you deserve to be rewarded in the afterlife. So, good-bye; Tonks, take us to shore."

Linking her arm through Moody's, Tonks turned sideways on the spot . . . and they suddenly exploded into being standing on the beach, watching _The Black Pearl_ swaying gently on the swells about 200 yards offshore.

They stood quietly as the great black ship slowly, majestically turned out to sea. As the pirate craft began to recede into the distance, Moody suddenly raised his wand overhead and sent a brilliant cascade of red and green sparks shooting skyward.

A few minutes later, the still night was rocked by the thunder of _The Black Pearl_'s cannons firing off a volley from the main deck. The allies had presented final, parting salutes.

"Moody" she asked dreamily. "Moody . . . do you think there are pirate ships in Heaven?"

"I don't know, Dora" Mad-Eye rumbled quietly. "I suppose there are." He gave a dry chuckle. "After all . . . Heaven's supposed to be perfect. How could it be Heaven without them?"

They maintained a silent vigil as the dark bulk of _The Black Pearl_ glided slowly into the distance, her outlines blurring as she drew further away. Inexorable as the passage of time itself, her running lights winked out one by one as she was lost from their view; wending her way back into the swirling mists of the past.


End file.
